SOMETIMES GET DEPRESSED/ PLEASE HELP

The intersection of Ashland and Clybourn, Chicago

Morning

 

I received three offers of money. Around 7:40, a latin man in his late 30's, early 40's, driving a gray dump truck with a maroon cab, held out a dollar to me. I declined, telling him "No thanks, I'm not looking for money."

"What kind of help are you looking for, then?" he asked. He seemed sincere.

"I don't know", I told him. "Probably something longer term." I asked him if he passes by the intersection much. He said yes. I told him what I'm out there for might become a little clearer as time goes on.

Immediately afterward, a white woman with brown bobbed hair and glasses offered me a dollar from the window of her black SUV.

Later, white male of about sixty, with a mustache, glasses, and an avuncular appearance, held out his hand, and said "I have quarters". He looked a little surprised by my refusal.

At about 8:15, a late twenties / early thirties black male in a black polished Toyota Camry stopped, just as the light was turning green and asked me: "Are you serious?"

My first thought was to say, "No, this is an art piece," or something like that. Instead, I checked myself and told him: "Yes, I get depressed sometimes."

"So what do you want? Someone to talk to, or something?" It almost looked as if he meant right then. I pictured myself getting into his car and pulling into a parking spot around the corner and talking for an hour. This guy had a black tank top, and an indiscernible tattoo on his forearm. He was smoking.

"Well, no." I said "Well, not right--"

"So you just want money."

"No, I don't want money," I responded crisply. "I think I'm looking for something longer term." Then I told him the same thing I told the truck driver: keep an eye on me.

Other comments I heard as people passed by:

"You look your work, buddy!" --A latin male passenger standing in the passenger side of a Fed Ex truck.

"I know I get depressed at my job." --A sort of heavy African American female in the passenger seat of a small blue Chevy 2-door.

 

 

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