Daylight is just appearing as I park in McDonalds empty parking lot; it will be quiet while I enjoy four-bit coffee and the paper. I am surprised to see a guy standing by the counter as I walk in. He has shoulder-length hair covered with a watch cap and is dressed with war-surplus togs. A long strip of cellophane tape covers the top of his eyeglass frames to secure his lenses. He hasn't ordered an...ything.
I get my coffee and walk way back to the corner. He follows me. "Great," I tell myself. I sit down, open the paper and start reading, giving him no eye contact.
He starts talking about the time that he and his friend Mike climbed up Barr trail, which is 13 miles long and goes to the top of 14,110 foot Pikes Peak. He says that they made it up to Barr Camp which is at around 10,000 feet.
"Yep, we smoked some weed there and then couldn't go any higher. Then we took some acid and couldn't get down. It was a long day."
With exaggeration, I say, "Hey, man, I'm not interested in talking to some acid head."
"Hey, man, I haven't done no drugs for twenty years. Hey, man, like man, you got some money so I can, like, get breakfast?"
********
So, what should I have done? Given him one to ten bucks; given him none; or let him stay in our guest bedroom for the week?
I get my coffee and walk way back to the corner. He follows me. "Great," I tell myself. I sit down, open the paper and start reading, giving him no eye contact.
He starts talking about the time that he and his friend Mike climbed up Barr trail, which is 13 miles long and goes to the top of 14,110 foot Pikes Peak. He says that they made it up to Barr Camp which is at around 10,000 feet.
"Yep, we smoked some weed there and then couldn't go any higher. Then we took some acid and couldn't get down. It was a long day."
With exaggeration, I say, "Hey, man, I'm not interested in talking to some acid head."
"Hey, man, I haven't done no drugs for twenty years. Hey, man, like man, you got some money so I can, like, get breakfast?"
********
So, what should I have done? Given him one to ten bucks; given him none; or let him stay in our guest bedroom for the week?
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