The Fingerless Begger

After meeting boy/girl on the trolley on day 1, I started looking a little more closely at the people who got off and on the trolley and even those we passed on the streets. Homeless people abound in Toronto but live freely among the business people and those we consider "normal". Every day, somewhere, right in the middle of the sidewalk, I would notice as we drove by, people sleeping. Not off to the side of the sidewalk, next to a building or in a stairway, but right in the middle of where people walked. I also noticed, that most people didn't pay them much attention. Hmm, interesting.

On day 2, on my way back to the hotel, I thought I was a goner. A man who seemed homeless, was getting off the streetcar and walked up to the driver and said:

"I need a transfer, I lost mine" (it costs extra to get a transfer)
"You know I'm not gonna' give you a transfer"
"Look, I lost my transfer, give me one."
"Look buddy, I'm not givin' you a transfer. Now get off."

Homeless man stands in the doorway staring at the driver. Holy crap, I know a gun is gonna come out and I'm freakin' dead.

"You stupid asshole."
"I may be an asshole, but I'm not the one who's got to pay for the transfer am I? Now get off ."

Thank God homeless man didn't have enough money to buy a gun...

Also on this same day while I was working with Irene, we had been visiting and I asked her how she got started in the business of "breast prosthesis." She told me that she had gone to school for a fine arts degree, got bored with that, and started working in medical arts at a hospital. She was doing facial prosthesis and noticed the need for what she's doing now. As we talked and worked I noticed a "finger" in her drawer.

"Can I touch it?" She said "sure" so I picked it up and couldn't believe how REAL it looked! It was amazing! It was an index finger from the middle knuckle down. We talked about it for a minute and she showed me how she had a second finger in her drawer as well. Hmm, interesting.

After getting off the trolley that night, I was walking back the three blocks to the hotel when I passed a young man about 25 sitting on the sidewalk with an empty Starbucks cup held out. The first thing I noticed was that he was missing his index finger! I'm not shittin' ya!

"Can you give me some change?" (They all want change). "I'm trying to raise enough money to get me a new finger." I'm not shittin' ya - he REALLY said that! I swear I laughed the rest of the way to the hotel (and no, I didn't give him any money).

The next day, I told Irene about the fingerless beggar and we both had a good laugh - what are the odds? I did see him again a few more times while we were there and chuckled every time I walked by him.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the bike thief and Batman.