WWDC Saturday - Leaving San Francisco

It was my last day in San Francisco and instead of getting up early and finishing out a photo tour (I'm sorry my san fran photos are so sparse) I slept in and then had to rush pack all of my stuff into a suitcase that no longer held all of my stuff.  I had accumulated one to many bags for carryon and I had to figure out how to back my hard - shelled briefcase into my suitcase for transportation while also fitting the rest of my clothes into it.  After accomplishing this it was time to check out and what I really wanted to do was to put my head down and go to sleep.  What I had to do though was get back on the dreaded Powell st. BART train and head back to the airport.  This time.  I remembered everything.

A lot of you are thinking, oh yeah so what, you didn't forget your stuff on the train.  Well that's apparently a big deal for me so back off.  I couldn't help but get a good look back at all of the homeless people that I saw during my trip.

I saw a black man with branches lashed together who was hiding behind them and sneaking up on people as part of a comedy routine that I was lucky enough to avoid.  I did catch one piece.  When one white guy walked around him from behind as he was moving the bush the white guy walked right into it.  The homeless man shouted "Hey now, hiding behind the bushes is my act you son of a bitch, you go get your own act.  Besides there's nothing scary about a white guy hiding behind the bushes anyway, it only works with me because I'm black and that's terrifying."  He had everyone rolling with laughter.

There was a very personable man on the street corner outside of Moscone West holding a sign that said "United Negro Pizza Fund" he had to have made a thousand dollars in one day.  I'd say, other than Apple, he probably made the most money off of the conference.

There was one old man who was absolutely insane screaming about how Jesus was loving but he was going to come down and smite the holy shit out of the entire city because ... well I really didn't stick around to find out why he was going to smite the city.  I decided it was for the best not to stand around and watch the doom shouter.

There was a girl of maybe 15 who offered a well groomed business man in front of me some pretty awful things for a twenty.  When he turned her down she started crying.  I know it's terrible but I wish I had had my camera.  She would have made a great study, sitting on the street crying, her thick mascara running down her cheeks.  She was probably the only homeless person I saw that probably desperately needed actual help.  It was heartbreaking to see so many people of different homeless status so close to each other, each with a different method for getting money.  In each case i didn't think it was my place to take photos so I have none of any of them. 

It is safe to say, by the time I got to the airport I was ready to be out of the city.  It was a beautiful and crushing city.  There was none of the desperation that I felt in new york where the homeless people are desperate.  California is a more laid back kind of city.  The only time I glimpsed a bit of New York was with the little girl offering herself up in tears for a 20 to anyone who would take her.  I expected that in New York, but honestly I didn't expect it in California.  

I got to the terminal four hours early.  I listened to an audio book through my wait and boarded the plane to Salt Lake City, then to Grand Junction and I was home.  I do think I will miss the bustle of the city and the way that everything works over there.  I am glad to be back home though, back to a steady repetition of work and home time.  All of which is to say.  I'll keep writing, if you keep reading.