If you hate rain, read this post

Posted on 10. Feb, 2009 by Tony Arranaga in News

My first “rain day” trying to live carfree in Phoenix

Rain sucks.  Plain and simple. At least when it comes to riding mass transit and living carfree.
Today was my first day of taking the light rail in Phoenix during a rain event, and it’s a relatively quiet one at that.

I’m carfree by choice.  I take the train most days, but on lazy ones my fallback sits in the garage.  Thousands of people here in the Valley of the Sun and around the country aren’t as lucky.  They rely on a bus or a train to get to work.  Many times paying for that ride is an entirely different story.
This is reality in America, and I witnessed tonight it’s even much worse.

While some are finding it hard to make ends meet, I’m laughing at my own misfortune on the train ride home when my belt buckle couldn’t support my expanding waistline. The situation seemed funny at the time.  So did my plan to temporarily seek refuge from the rain inside the Walgreen’s near my Central and Osborn stop. I ran inside and picked up a few things.  When I finished my shopping, I covered up from head to toe, and left the store ready to confront the rain knowing home was just a block away. Warm and cozy in four layers plus a scarf and a waterproof jacket, I walked outside, turned the corner of the building to head home, and almost stopped in my tracks.
Several feet away, another person was using Walgreen’s as a refuge as well, but in a much different way.  This man was homeless, not the first I’ve seen, and certainly not the last.  My slight discomfort in the elements made me realize my problems were very minor.
I think it’s safe to assume he didn’t have someplace warm to call home.  The cold wet concrete seemed to embrace him, and he made it look comfortable, stretched out and propped up on his left elbow as if he were relaxing watching the cars pass.  I could tell by the dirt on his face, this was normal in his world.

I kept walking, as if a homeless man on the pavement during a storm was no big deal. I got closer and cracked a smile.
I squeaked out a “hi” as he looked at the well dressed man and his purchases.  I was clean shaven, he was scruffy.  For the first time in my three years of living in Phoenix, this homeless man didn’t bother to ask me for money.  Instead he looked bitter.  Not angry, but almost disgusted.  I had things he didn’t. He nodded his head to return my greeting, and quickly looked away. Out of curiosity, when I got home I counted the number of belts I own.  I guess it really doesn’t  matter at this point.  I’m ashamed to mention the price of the least expensive one.I’m a firm believer of taking charge of your own destiny.  Still, is it fair to preach that to others when I don’t know where this man on the street came from, where’s he’s been, and what circumstances got him to this sidewalk by my condo.  I don’t need to know.  It’s enough seeing where he is now, and it breaks my heart. I want to help.  I will help.  Maybe you can too.

Tags: homeless, PHOENIX LIGHT RAIL, weather