Thanks lucky, your post are always so informative and helpful.
And your prediction of me being confused for a bum downtown im sure is spot on as well.
But the fact is that they are bums. Yes some of them may be vetrans, and many of them have mental illness. Most have a drug or alcohal problem as well. But i did not just call them bums because they are old and downtown. I called them bums because they live in tents made of tarps, #$%* on the street, piss on the wall, beg for money and drive shopping carts. There are camps full of them downtown. Almost like its infested.
As for kicking my ass. I dont think somebody who prefers to buy alcohol over food is going to have the strength to kick my ass. But even still i wouldnt fight because they might bite me and give me Hep C or HIV. They are bums and they are all down town because that is where the help center for them is. But you are not allowed in if you are drunk or on drugs. So most of them camp out on the street outside.
As for knowing 100 times more then me. Well yes i dont know what dumpsters have the best food in them or who sells the cheapest drugs or even how to cook heroin. I thinks its more of a quality vs quantity sort of thing. While I may not know as much information as they do because they have been around longer then me. I know how to keep a job, shower, and not do drugs. Those 3 things i know should help some kid from confusing me for a bum downtown in the future. Unless im down there on the off chance because i ran out of razors to shave, trip and fall in a mud puddle and tear my close while pushing my shopping cart into the store. Then i guess you could be right.
I used to drive an ambulance in town. I knew some of these bums personally. There are 2 currently who called 911 1363 times last year. And they are not isolated cases.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/02/11/2719079/ambulance-is-pricey-taxi-service.html#storylink=misearchUnlike most people i have an up-close look and interaction with them. My opinion is not based on a simple observation from a walk down town.
So did you have anything of value to add, because as you stated Im going to need help.