working for a living

it can be difficult to find employment when you don't have an address. especially if in addition to not having an address you also do not have the ability to read or more than a few teeth. the modus operandi is usually to stand on a street corner and harrass passersby for money, which would seem of limited profitability. on my lunchtime yogge, i see a few regulars of les hobeaux et hobettes - the same fine toothless folk day after day. lately, someone has organized these hobo sapiens into a crew of workers: les hobeaux et hobettes are selling a paper called the homeless times.

i wonder about the business model. do the hobovians purchase the papers on consignment? one would think not. does someone kind soul simply donate the papers? more likely. my guess is that the papers are created by a mission of some type and given to the hobotites who in turn sell them to the passersby. really a good idea when you think about it - they're more likely to get a dollar for a paper than to collect money for nothing, although standing on a street corner clutching a small stack of tabloids does not qualify as significantly more than "nothing".

at any rate, les hobeaux et hobettes on my route are in the news bidness. they are as a group friendly, apparently sober, and not blatantly odiferous. they always call "hello" at me as i flit & float on by. if i had a dollar, i would give it to them. i have thought about carrying some nabs or newtons to hand out, but i have not as yet remembered.

today while paused waiting on a traffic signal i had this convo with the hobeau selling there. too bad you cannot make a living from having a sense of humor, b/c no doubt my hobeau friend would have been all set.

:: hobeau :: - turning to see who was standing beside him - «well, you worked up quite a sweat there!»

:: ace :: - smiling - «ha, yeah... have you made much money today?»

:: hobeau :: - shaking head - «no, no... just trying to make enough to get some food... trying to stay busy.»

:: ace :: - yogging away, waving - «ha, yeah... well, at least it gets you out of the house for a while!»

:: hobeau :: - «house? oh! hahahah!! hahah!!»

you should have heard his happy laugh. it was beautiful.