I have been very careful not to post photos of this nature after being criticized several months back. "You post meaningless photos of meaningless people." I never once thought the homeless were meaningless and the last thing I wanted to do is portray them as such. I asked to take this photo, I ask to take many of my photos; not all, but most. This is Henry Cyr, you may have seen him in the Xpress about a month ago, you can also see him here. I posted him the first week I started this blog. (yes, I kept the old blog, it would be ridiculous to throw away a years worth of my work. I just hide it away now.) For those who regularly frequent Bank St and area. you will know Henry as the one arm guitar playing man. I often stop to speak to Henry. Henry wasn't in a very good mood the day I took this photo. He has throat cancer and was just coming back from the hospital. He posed for this photo and then I bought him a slice. Most of the time I buy him donuts in the morning. I have yet to get him to tell me though how he actually lost his arm. It was an accident he says. The things we can learn and see if we actually stop and listen once in awhile. That is how I got this photo. These guys were the pets of two panhandling kids that were sitting outside City Hall. Their sign said - "If you are cool, give us money." I am like totally cool, (kidding) so I stopped to say hello. The story was that they were trying to raise enough money for a bus ticket for their brother. I never put too much value into the validity of stories, I am sure there is truth somewhere in there, but I was intrigued by their pet cat and rat. The girl had raised them both as babies, they were her family she said. I wish there was more of a story behind the pet cat and rat but there really isn't. That photo cost me all of my laundry change. I wore dirty socks the next day. It was not that she expected money, but I felt inclined to give. I also went back the next day and gave her a print. She was quite pleased. So often society turns a blind eye to the homeless. We can be so self-absorbed and wrapped up with insignificant material possessions. I am approached for change at least a dozen times on my way to and from work. I will admit it, it does get tiresome but the very least I can do is acknowledge their presence. I think that is reason why I occasionally take these photos. I can post nice pictures of puppies and kittens and flowers and babies, but I choose to acknowledge the harsh reality of the homeless. They are people too, they do exist.