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3 December 2012
It was rather quiet at ‘the heater’ today. In attendance were Shakes, Little Jake, Amigo, Donny with the motorized wheelchair and Loretta.
I said to Shakes, “How do like your new place?”
“It’s fine. I got robbed there on Saturday night.”
“Shakes, how did you get robbed in your own place?”
“I was drinking with a guy who lives downstairs, in the same building I’m in. I gave him money to go out and buy me two bottles. I left my door open so he could get back in. He didn’t show and when I woke up, my other bottle was gone. I’ll make sure I get those bottles next time I see him.”
Loretta said, “Do you see the boots that guy walking by is wearing? My boyfriend, Vance wears that kind of boots. He has to, he’s a roofer. He’s working his last day today. The season is over. He can’t roof in the snow. This hat I’m wearing is from the company he works for, Reliable Roofing.”
Jake said, “What does he do when he’s not roofing?”
“He goes on unemployment insurance, so I’ll have him all to myself.”
“Jake said, “He doesn’t come around here very much. Doesn’t he like us?
“It’s not you that he doesn’t like. He doesn’t like me drinking with you guys, because that’s when I get into trouble.”
Jake said to me, “These antibiotics I’m taking make my face itch and my ankles swell. I have to keep taking them until the end of December. I see my doctor this afternoon. He’s putting me on a special diet. I took the menu to my worker. She says that I’ll qualify for an extra two hundred dollars a month.
“Did you hear that Debbie was hit by a bus last week? She had bags of groceries in both arms and was running to catch the bus. She was banging on the side trying to get the driver to stop. She slipped, groceries went flying and the bus ran over her arm. I told her to go to the hospital, but she didn’t want to. Her upper arm is all purple now.
“I should bring my mountain bike down and sell it. Right now I’m using it to hang my clothes on.”
I asked him, “How is your new apartment working out?”
“I won’t be getting my furniture until January — it’ll be better then.
“It’s nice here, in the sun. I don’t want to get up at all. How about you, Shakes?”
“I just want to sit here.”
A security guard wearing a reflective vest walked by. He looked at us, but didn’t say anything.”
Jake said, “That’s the nice one. He doesn’t care if we’re here. It’s the old guy who tells us to move along. Shakes got a ticket the other day for trespassing.”
I asked, “Did he get the ticket here?”
“Yeah, right here. He wasn’t charged for alcohol, just trespassing.”
Jake asked Loretta, “Are you going to the World (World Exchange Plaza) today?”
“No.”
Jake asked, “Are you barred from there?”
“No, just from the Rideau Center.”
“I can’t find anyone to go for a run. I guess it doesn’t matter. I’ve got no money anyway.
“Shakes, have you got any money?”
“I’ve got five dollars and five cents.”
“Loretta, have you got any money?”
“I don’t even have enough to buy a pack of smokes, but I’ll buy a cigarette off you for a dollar.”
“I’ll buy one too, Jake,” said Amigo. Shortly after he left.
Jake said, “Well, we’ve got enough for a bottle, we just don’t have anyone to go for a run.”
I said, “You could have asked Amigo.”
“I don’t know him well enough, at least not well enough to trust him with seven bucks. He might not come back.
.
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After leaving work I met Sunny James.
He said, “Did you hear that I was kicked out of a city council meeting. Not only that, two goons, that’s what I call them, escorted me out of the building. The police arrested me for trespassing. How can I be trespassing in our city hall? Tell me that! The police roughed me up in the car and again when we got to the jail.
“I appeared before the judge the next morning. I told him how I was treated and mentioned that our mayor is in a conflict of interest situation. He also sits on the board of Ontario Hydro. I was at the council meeting expressing my concerns about the city not adopting my idea of a solar-powered mono-rail, similar to ones they have in Europe. Of course, the mayor was against the idea because it’s going against what Ontario Hydro wants.
“The mayor of Toronto, Bob Ford, was fired. I think our mayor should be fired as well. Did you hear that Joe Fontana, mayor of London, Ontario, was charged with fraud and breach of trust? Our Chief of Police, Charles Bordeleau, what do you think of him? I don’t know how good your Spanish is, but ‘bordello’ in Spanish means whore house.
“Gerald Tremblay, Montreal’s former mayor, quit amid multiple corruption allegations last month. Did you hear what his severance package is worth? It’s more than $216,000.
“Have you seen my website?”
http://www.youtube.com/user/sunnynewswire
http://www.123people.ca/s/sunny+newswire
http://sunnynewswire.blogspot.ca
“Yes, I have, Sunny. It’s very impressive.”
“Did you see my presentation to city hall? What did you think of that?”
“Yes, I thought you put your ideas forward very effectively. Are you still sleeping outside?”
“Oh, yes, I always do. I don’t mind it. There was a lady who offered to let me leave some of my stuff in her backyard. Now, she says I can’t. Do you know of any place I could store my grocery cart? Someone mentioned a place near the bus depot. Maybe I’ll try there.”
“That sounds like a convenient location for you. It’s within walking distance.”
“Did I tell you that I’m building a solar-powered ship? A friend of mine from Newfoundland, an engineer, is working on it with me. It will have condos aboard, the world’s largest dance floor, swimming pools. We’re looking for investors. Are you interested?”
“Not now, Sunny, but let me know how it is progressing.”
…
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Streetsister 