Down and Out in the 314

One of the great things about St. Louis and KC is the lack of beggars--at least when compared to cities like LA, Chicago, and Nueva York. Even though I work in downtown St. Louis and live in the city itself, I see very, very few beggars and homeless people--so few that I can readily identify them. The only ones I see even on a semi-regular basis are 30 Cent and Have a F*cked Up Day Dude. 30 Cent always asks people if they have a spare thirty cents. One of these days, I'll ask him why he specifically asks for thirty cents. Have a F*cked Up Day Dude walks along the street talking to himself until he walks by a person and asks if he can ask that person a quesion. Upon being told no, he tells you to have a f*cked up day--really sowing the seeds for the next time he wants to ask you for money.

Lately, I've noticed a new homeless person, an Asian dude. He is the first Asian homeless person I've seen in Missouri.