(page 1 of 3)   On Monday I drove into downtown on a mission.  Wanted to better understand another piece of the homeless puzzle.  Found a place to park and walked several blocks to the Place.*  It is winter so I have on my jacket and dark blue knitted cap.  The main thing that sets me apart from the others is I have no plastic bag with all my possessions in it.  I look at no one directly and find an open chair to sit in and read the brochure the Place had on a rack upon entering.  I keep my cap on as so many others do.  When you're cold to the depths of your mind the hat stays on.  Plus, that way it won't get stolen.   The room is half full of men and women.  One woman looks me over with the "I haven't seen you here before" look. Mostly though, I'm ignored.  I sit quietly reading the brochure and begin to feel less like an outsider as time passes.  It looks like many of the people here know each other.  Despite the roughness there is an odd  combination of caring and belligerence.  Coarse talk and profanity mixed with occasional welcomes to new arrivals.   In a short time the Man talks about having a video soon and that if it is interrupted by loud talking it will be turned off.  I believe him.  Then, he leaves and returns with a large container of some kind of snack food and begins passing it out to those there.  I have my nose buried in the brochure when I hear the word "Sir".  I ignore it and then I hear it again louder "SIR!"  He's talking to me.  I look up and a bag of snack food flies through the air right at me.   Continue reading here   *Name and location changed intentionally Back