finding the location, and my first acquaintance

i needed to find a location for my little experiment in friendship. so i drove around last saturday looking under bridges, in the projects, keeping my eye open for drug houses and vacant lots downtown. i came across an alley that lead to an empty lot under a bridge just south of downtown. i was nervous as i drove in because there was only one way to get in and one way to get out. i am a white boy in the hood and i am going in to uncharted territory.

i saw a group of homeless people under the bridge and i thought to myself "you are crazy, these people are going to rob you and take your car." then butch waved at me as if he expected me to be there and i drove over to him after i locked my car doors.

i rolled down my window and introduced myself. butch has hair that is out of control. frizzy grey hair on top and an unkept beard. he is the nicest homeless person i have ever talked to. i told him about my idea and he was immediately on board.

let me tell you a little about myself. i am not an outgoing person. i get anxious in big crowds. one of the hardest things in the world for me is to walk up to a group of people i don't know and introduce myself. butch told me that he would get as many people as i could handle to our little courtyard lunch under the bridge.

by the way, i wanted to call this location the courtyard, but a friend told me it was a bad idea. "no one likes to be in court, and a courtyard is in a country club, not under a bridge." i am rethinking the name.

i told butch i would be there this saturday with lunch. i hope he shows up with a few folks.