SKETCHES FROM WHEREVER

when beggars become choosers…

(I’ve just over steeped my chai tea for the second time.)

Last night mish and I hit up the bagdad restaurant and pub.
Its become our favorite nothing-else-is-open-right-now-and-I’m-really-hungry place to go.
It’s only a couple blocks from our place so we put our shoes and jackets on and headed out the door.
Bagdad sits on the corner of 37th and hawthorne.
Last night also sitting on the corner of 37th and hawthorne is Arthur.
Arthur has been walking along the street of hawthorne much longer than I have.
He carries an old acoustic and will play you a song for spare change.
If tipped he replies very humbly “blessings”.
I don’t know too much about Arthur.
if he has a home, job, family friends.
I know he likes to play a mix of punk and jazz.
He listens to a little bit of everything.
And when tipped he replies “blessings’
Mish and I are now standing on the corner of 37th and hawthorne.
With out even looking up from where he was sitting Arthur asks if we could spare some change for a song.
I told him we were heading into bagdad and I asked him if we could get him something to eat.
He said yes but to my surprise he made a little request when I asked what he would like.
Some hummas maybe or something vegetarian. Just nothing with eggs.
Okay.
I got him the hummas plate.
I was kind of tickled by that.
Only in Portland will the people on the street request a vegetarian meal.
I brought the meal out to him and without looking up he said “blessings”
blessings