Homeless Bum Confessions

Homeless Bum Confessions

(Editor's Note: The following narrative is real.  It is an unedited, first person account of a day in the life of a bum/philosopher who wanders the streets of an unnamed city in Europe.  Though the vagrant bares all in his tale, he chooses to remain anonymous..  He's one of thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of individuals at the rock bottom of global society.  He doesn't tell why or how he sank to the depths, but as you will read, it's obvious that this man has an active, clear mind - in addition to a grudge against society.)

Shuffling along the sidewalk with no place to go. Time is of no concern, I was trying to think of what to do today. Making my way slowly down this avenue of congress of this capital city I already had a free meal at the eleven o-clock serving. 

As I strolled under the tall buildings casting shadows across the workers of commerce scurrying their way between the doors of the high structures I remembered what day of the week it was. Today was the day I could give plasma; I could spend the rest of the afternoon at the plasma center. 

Then I could look forward for an evening restaurant hot meal plus some change leftover for some tailor made cigarettes. A night at the mission could top it off for some comfortable sleep and a change of clothes tomorrow morning for my apparel was getting a bit dusty from a three day wear. My latest sleeping quarters under the Fourth street Bridge the past few nights left me a bit on the musty side. I had purpose for the day.

The street was usually busy this midday hour and today no different, I had to dodge between the suits of trade wear, trying to keep on the outside of the crowd. By the streets end the crowd mostly had thinned ducking into other doors and I stopped at the crosswalk to wait for the light. Now it was either east or a west direction, directly across the street stood the gates of the capitol building. I had to head west a few blocks before turning north for seventeen more blocks to get to the plasma center. 

I started to get hungry thinking of a restaurant meal; the soup line after a few days kind of shrinks the stomach. A couple of puffed up looking fellows decked out in expensive attire also were paused awaiting the light. They took no note of my presence, after all I was just a street person and they were likely legislators coming from the high dollar restaurant on the corner heading back to business as usual. Something kind of clicked.

"Excuse me, I said, You know over half this capital town work for the state or federal or county or city and none of these positions hardly make any money of their own. All they do is drain the average workers paycheck, so possibly, do you think that maybe its time to downsize a bit like the corporates and be responsive to the actual needs of the working class which are actually most of your constituents?"

They ignored any sound coming from my person.

I continued a little louder, 

"You can save some money by being more efficient in operations. Like general program funding, you could handle each case individually and wise up to the fraud that costs more than actual need."

They shifted in movement, I could see a bit of uneasiness as they lingered.

"Maybe," I gestured a bit sarcastically, "Rethink and cut half of these government workers that achieve no practical purpose except to spread favors. Also all of those many building projects just for your own wants, like those millions spent on that gym that only you and your staff gets to use freely and you know I wish I had your kind of free medical when I was working."

"Then there are those high price bids and contractors overcharging for every little piece, do you think you could put a check on kickbacks and corruption and save money by being practical as if this was your money you throw around?"

"Oh, yeah, the new prescription laws you're about to overcharge the elderly under that blanket of the drug companies, do you think you can simplify and make some rates as needed that might actually really care for the elderly instead?"

 I was kind of loud on that one.

The light changed and they bolted for the other side, they moved so fast I had to run to keep up with them.

"How about this!"  I was kind of yelling now, frothing a bit, getting a little excited, "I use to have a job and you took more than a third out for your taxes, can you even imagine the burden that put on me?"

"Plus all the sales tax, gas tax, property tax, service fees; I was probably paying way over half of what I made just to appease your appetite! You know what I mean?"

They had made it through the gates of the fence surrounding the capital, kicking up pebbles from the driveway as they ran toward the massive doors of the building. I ceased and stood my ground at the entrance, somehow survival kicking in and halting my process.

"You know when you do try to save money," I screamed after them, You cut off from the bottom instead of the top! Now just working folks are out of luck!"

They were running out of range and I was getting hoarse. Then I noticed a golf cart at a fast crawl speeding its way toward me, filled with a couple of security personnel. I fled the scene, thinking once past the border of this walled fortress they would cease the chase. I still had time to make it to the center and give plasma.

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