Street Spirit

This is a good acquaintance of mine, Elaine. I've been speaking with Elaine for the last 3 years. Over the last 10 years, of three Oakland people living on the streets that I've come to know and speak with regularly, she is the only one still around. She has a very hard life, and she is very tough. I always give her some money, for my own good (stingy bastard), but she is more interested in telling me what is going on in her life and in hearing what is going on in mine. She is much more disappointed if I don't stop and talk than if I don't leave her with some change. She was kind enough to let me photographer her today ("May I exploit you?", "Sure, I'm always up for that!"), but I feel obliged to leave her personal details for her to tell you someday if you get to meet her (send me a note). We've been through life and death together, so to speak. And she is a very good artist, too.

I have met few people who so clearly care about what happens to me and what I think, and who ask for so little and yet so much in return. Thank you, Elaine, for letting me have your portrait today. Bless you.