I'm not certain what my particular fascination with Pops is, exactly. I've known him since he was a young man (due to time travel), I've seen him live, die, come back as a ghost, become a zombie, and have indirectly cured him of the latter malady. The man can barely talk. Barely walk. Does not work. But I can tell you one thing...he appreciates the offerings afforded to him.
I do not know what his back story is, and there's likely a complicated back story. One ripe with turmoil and defeat. I'd rather focus on the now.
Mostly, people cruise past Pops and his little sign and pretend he's not there. He's invisible as a ghost to them. Some won't go near him as if he's got some sort of disease...as if they might become infected with homelessness. To them he's a monster. I assume there are monsters walking about, and some of them may be homeless and some of them may beg for handouts. So trepidation isn't an unreasonable response.
My newly formed care package is called the "Bribe Pops In Hopes Of Him Extending Me A Favor In The Name Of Art And Sociology Kit" and consists of the following inventory:
1 bottle of water.
1 brand new t-shirt which was offered as a bribe for me to give blood (how appropriate).
1 oats and chocolate chewy granola bar.
1 $5 bill.
1 unused disposable camera.
Not much sodium to speak of, I've already given him enough to last a lifetime.
The idea is to shower him with gifts and in return he fills the disposable camera with beautiful photography. My only request is that he captures images that are meaningful to him. These can be places, people, objects...whatever he interprets as "meaningful" in his world. Then, once the camera is full, return it back to me, at which point I will have the photos developed and report the findings. Of course, I will give Pops a copy of the pictures to keep as well.
Maybe this experiment will shed some light on his life. Perhaps this experiment will prove fruitless. Perhaps I will never see this camera again. But it's worth a shot and the results, if I receive any, should be interesting in some sort of sociological aspect nonetheless.
Photos taken by a resurrected time traveling ghost zombie homeless man have to yield something worth while, don't they?
Today's Jazz Hands forge a new brand of photojournalism. Day one-hundred and sixty-five complete.
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