I noticed the couple before the dog got everyone’s attention. they had the blanketed silhouette of slow moving bodies. a blanket slips revealing a young white female, shaved head. They separate: one stays put, the other crosses kitty-corner. 

Kitty-corner is still covered head to toe until their blanket drops showing another young woman. She rewraps herself and lies down on the sidewalk. The first person crosses over and crouches down and they talk. Buses and cars drive by. We eat our lunch at a cafe across the street.

A trotting dog approaches the street. it darts out onto 17th Ave and the entire patio sucks in our breath. The threat of watching an animal get hit by a car causes us to lock eyes with strangers. Silence.

The dog backtracks onto the sidewalk and conversation picks up. The two women have split apart, one still lying down and the other now talking to an older man at a bustop.

Momentarily, a different lady crosses the street holding the dog in her arms. They go into Jake’s Place.

I saw the man holding a broom before I noticed the group of people flopped on the sidewalk by the corner store where he worked.

Mid-day, I was stopped at a red light. His back faced me, head pointed down at the ground, broom in hand, minding his business.

A few feet away from him, I see a jumble of matted hair and clothing.

Leaning against the wall, The only person who is conscious sits stretching their toes apart. I see the bottom of a dirty white foot. Next to them, a semi-prostrate body is tucked closely. another guy is passed out and his pants are 0n — technically — but his backside is nearly exposed. The last person is a limp blur as I drive by.

In my rearview, The foursome disappears as the shop clerk keeps sweeping.