Homeless in Borders

I walked Sally to the session in blowing light snow and 25 degree (colder wind chill no doubt) temp. Then I walked about 5 blocks to the Borders for a quick look for a new book and coffee. My dress: ratty watch cap; old jeans; oldish shoes; reasonable coat with dog hair; no gloves; no shave.
Louisville has a lot of homeless men hanging around the civic center trying for a few bucks and someplace warm to rest. Mostly they are grubby and burned-out looking. Kind of what I looked like that morning. I walked into Borders warmth and started a tour around the first floor looking for discount books. Nothing interesting so up to the second floor. Nothing interesting there so back down to the coffee shop for a quick cup of Joe and then back to the digs. As I sipped the hot coffee the manager walked a homeless guy out the door and stood outside as he moved off. When she came in I gestured her to the table and asked her if she had to move out many homeless folks. She said this guy was smoking in the bathroom, against the rules.
Then she looked at me and said “As long as you follow the rules, you are welcome to stay as long as you like. I know its cold out there.” As she walked off I thought: “Time for a new hat and a shave.” And I also thought: “Being homeless must really be a bitch.”
Image: corbisimages.com