2003-02-20 at 3:05 p.m.

Well, my last entry was a poem about a homicidal snowman who wanders the face of the earth, feasting on the flesh of the living. 'How can Michelle possibly top that?' one asks.

Well, lets face it. I can't.

So let's talk about homeless people.

Also, let's talk about my flatmate, Natalie.(Natalie is not homeless, obviously (although the line between the interior of our house and the interior of a dumpster gets thinner every day)).

Last night, Natalie and I were walking from the train station to our regular Wednesday night watering hole, when we saw The Homeless Guy.

I have no idea what his name is. I don't think anyone does. Everyone just knows him as The Homeless Guy.

He wears a big, black, dirty coat every day, regardless of the heat. His pants are almost completely shredded, and his hair is very matted and dirty. He has the kind of body odour that forms a visible cloud around him of about six feet in diameter.

From what I've heard, though, he's a decent guy. He won't take handouts from people, insisting that he 'doesn't want to be a burden'. He just wanders along the streets all day, not bothering anyone.

He's been wandering the streets of this city since I moved here, and probably long before that.

So, Natalie and I see The Homeless Guy walking up ahead of us. Natalie turned to me and said-

'I hate that guy'.

To which I replied-

'Why?'

'Because he does it to make other people feel guilty'.

'Huh?'

'Well, look at him! He doesn't have to do that! He could get a Government Allowance if he wanted to'.

'Perhaps he doesn't want to. I've heard he doesn't like to trouble people. He can live the way he wants to, you know'.

'But he just does it to make us feel guilty!'

You know, never once, upon encountering a homeless person, have I ever thought- 'That person is living in abject poverty just to make me feel guilty about my comfortable living situation. How dare he! How dare he upset my vision of a perfectly ordered world!'

It appears, however, that some people do.

*boggles*