Musings

It's interesting to watch the dynamics of Piedmont Park change almost hourly. If you go before 7:00 a.m., there's about an equal number of humans and canines. That changes after the walkers take their pets home and go to work. Every hour brings a different segment of people and pets.

This morning, I was greeted with not so many people but thousands of dead and dying fish at the lake. The security man I flagged down wasn't aware of it and called for someone to come investigate and I left.

Because I walk earlier now (to avoid the heat), I see the homeless more that I usually do. Or at least I recognize them more easily since many of them are still sleeping when I enter the park. Security doesn't bother them too much if they're behaving.

Yesterday was the first time I've seen one of them sleeping in a chair. He had it pushed up against a huge tree and was sitting so still that two squirrels were running around and around the tree near his head, not paying any attention to him at all. I wonder where these "invisible" men will be when Paul McCartney plays there next week. The list of things not allowed is so long that I wouldn't have been surprised to see "No homeless" on it. One blanket per person, no animals except for seeing eye dogs, no bags, no signs or banners, no fireworks, no food or drink, no chairs, no weapons, no wrenches or pliers (they spelled it plyers), no laser pointers, no cameras of any kind, no video or digital records of any kind, no umbrellas...

Even if I had an extra $100 to spend on a ticket, I think I would pass on this show. Some of the list makes good sense but I have to wonder why no chairs or no drinks on a hot August night. And can they really keep all cameras out? I think I will just leave town while the 50,000 or so they're hoping for overflows our streets and neighborhood. Nope, that much money would have to buy me air conditioning and a reasonably comfortable seat. Too old and cranky to sit on the ground in stifling heat and mosquitoes anyway.

I wonder if they will try to chase the homeless out of the park or just let them enjoy the concert from the shadows. It would be interesting to know.