tromp

Jaded. There was a man setting up a bed on my driveway as I tried to pull in to my home tonight. He seems harmless enough, there beneath the over hang of the tree that canopies our driveway. Little did he know that the blankets he was taking so much car to unfold and lay out would be covered in tree bits and sap by the morning, that is if I hadnt called the cops on him.

It easy to justify right. "Its private property" "I was home alone" "I have had someone try to break into my home before" all true. But I still feel awful. way to stick it to the man elisabeth, the homeless man... really...I mean he cant even sleep on public benches anymore without a
hand rail wedged in his back, courtousy of La Jolla's finest.

But we dont know. and unfortunately I assumed the worst. I told the police he didnt seem harmful, and if they could just ask him to relocate no real "enforcement" necessary. I even left my car in the driveway as if to signal some kind of "hey, its fine" but I refused him a sandwich, and now a space.

Locking the door behind me and stumbling my way through skattered helmets and bike shoes I made my way to my room in the dark, not even letting the refridgerater ligt illuminate the kitchen as i slide my limade onto the overstuffed shelf- his sandwich.

I called katie. and ria. and doris. no reply. I called nick he said to just call the non emergancy number. Then he called back and said I could even call the emergancy number if I wanted to. He said to think about it as a guy sleeping on your front porch- that would be weird right? He called back again for the final report. and told me which room the spanish final was in.

I can hear them right now, the police, they just came. I slipped away to observe the action of the men- he had already fallen asleep, I feel terrible, it would have been fine. There asking him for ID and all these things, he just wants a space. a space. what did I do.

Now I can hear him from my room. louder voices. I might have caused something out of what would have been nothing. He has nothing to show for who he is, his own self the only proof of his validity.

I continue to justify it in my mind- any of the neighbors could have called. how many times has this happened before to him. Where does he usually spend his nights. he would have been coated in tree crap. Ria will be home late and need to park in the driveway. I have finals.

And thats it- thats the best I got. I have finals. The ultimate tromp card. Rock Paper Scissors. FINALS I win. I cant.

Nick called back again for the final report. He told me to think about it as if he were sleeping on the front porch of my house, that would be weird right? Yes I said. and then I asked were our spanish final was.

Finals. tromp.