I would watch the water taxis ferry tourists to the boutiques and cafes along the river. The boutiques: where the items cost a lot more than they were worth, but the little sticker on the bottom, with the city’s name, said they were purchased in a place that would impress those back home. I thought it was still a little too much, so I wasn’t impressed. But then, nothing seemed to impress me these days.
Some days I would sit on a bench (I thought of it as my bench) and throw bread to the ducks that paddled along the river. I also dropped popcorn onto the grass along the walk for smaller birds and squirrels. They never said thank you, but I knew they appreciated it.
Night was a much better time for me. I could hide then. Not behind walls or fences, but right out in the open. People never n
