at Starbucks, San Francisco

a guant with gray whiskers on his face stood outside Starbucks at Powell and O'Farrell, begging for change with one hand, holding a Street Sheet with the other. his unkepmt appearance contrasted with every shorter, more Asian, more made-up and trendy passerby. more significantly, his naked shabbiness, in this shopping and tourism destination of America, contrasted with those who try so hard to hide their own.

then, startling, he picked up and walked away. too bad. i was going to give him a dollar.