Sun Times!

Today I worked on more little scripts and keywordqueue stuff. Nothing new.

I went to Potbelly's with my friend Jonathan. It was a good lunch, they have good sandwiches.

In the city, there is an echelon heirarcy of beggers and homeless people. I've observed each class and am ready to formulate a classification for each one. Ready? Here goes.

At the lowest end there are simply the people that sit and have a sign. No cup, just a sign. I don't understand what they expect people to do, since many people aren't going to stop and say “hi.”

Then, next up are the people who have a sign and a cup. Usually, they stand or sit there, cup in hand, with a sign. Usually these people are the ones that look the most needy. Some homeless people don't look very homeless at all.

Then, the more common group are the cup shakers. They stand there, no sign, shaking a cup. Some try to make rhythmic songs with their cups, others just shake with random hand wiggles. Most of the time the same people are in the same places day in and day out, showing up at the same times with the same cup. I've noticed most of them have clear Starbucks cups. I wonder why that is.

Next up are the people that actually sell stuff. The most shady of these things are Streetwise newspaper sellers. These Streetwise issues are about the size of a magazine, and I think it's a magazine produced to help homeless people – I'm not sure exactly how it works. Most veteran sellers stand there, meekly displaying the Streetwise issue.

I saw a Streetwise issue hung on a support post for the El train, and there was a picture of one of the Streetwise sellers on the back. The story went on to talk about how he had been doing it all his life at the same corner! He was one of the guys that just stood there, he's on a corner near my work. I thought that was pretty cool how he could actually sell that much by just looking at you.

Other Streetwise sellers are kind of annoying. I usually don't see them very often, probably cause they don't sell very much. Most of these people sit in a chair or stand, chanting or singing “Streetwise!” One lady made an ear-piercing, high-pitched wailing noise, then said “Streetwise” after the noise. Any normal person would keep a large distance around anyone doing that, let alone approach them to get an issue of Streetwise. One, less annoying lady said “Good mornin', Streetwoooyys.” When I walked by in the afternoon, she was still saying “Good mornin'” I guess she's a morning person.

Then, there are the Sun-Times sellers. You know who they are by the bright-orange apron thingy they wear. Some of them just stand there, displaying the morning's issue, others make a slow, sing-songy chant “Sun Times!”. Usually these chants end in a high note.

However, there was one man who had a distinct Sun-Times call. It was a definitive, raspy, and soulful call of “Sun-Times.” He didn't sing it, but he just kind of said it with a tone. The “sun” was on a higher note, and he slid to a lower note when he said “times.” It sounded like “SUn TIIIIiiimes” with the capitalization stressing the loudness of the accent. His call exuded a confident attitude of, “You want to buy a Sun Times issue. But, if you don't, I guess you're missing out on the cool thing to do.” He didn't say it often, but every 15 seconds or so.... “SUn TIIIIiiimes”

It was fun to listen to. I haven't heard him in a few days. I don't even remember where I heard him. I kinda want to find him again – just to listen. Sometimes I look at some of the Sun Times sellers and hope they say it like that man did, but they either say nothing or say their own inferior chant.

Then, there's Freddy the drum player. He takes the cake. He's out there rain or shine, playing his drums. Not only is he determined, but he seems like he's just happy being there, playing his drums. I still need to make that website for him...