:: M squared T ::

:: Saturday, April 24, 2004 ::

Homeless Like Me

After the chimney was taken down completely, I was covered in fine gray dust. The GUYS and I went to McDonalds on Kirby & Neil for a quick lunch. Mind you, I walked in and immediately went to the bathroom. I washed my hands and wiped my face.

Then I sat through lunch being stared at or "visibly ignored." I got some very bad looks from some parents sitting near us with their kids. I even overheard some folks commenting about how I was a homeless guy these two college guys were taking to lunch. Now, I admit, my hands were shaking from using the #10 sledgehammer all morning, I didn't shave this morning, and I was covered in dust. I was wearing dirty, ripped up clothes.

I stuck out.

What floored me was the utter disrespect that I and the two guys with me were paid. Mocking jokes were made with little effort to cover the disdain. I realized that the other two looked like highschool dropout farm-laborer types. Irony is that both guys with me are in the top 1% at U of I and I'm applying to the Ivy Leagues.

We are slaves to our perceptions. But I must not judge: there, but for the grace of God, go I.

:: Matt 4/24/2004 04:58:00 PM :: permalink :: ::
...