This is the Kennedy Memorial. By day a place for tourists, at night, a quasi-shelter. But it's a very lonely place, like an abandoned heart.
There are many revamped and remodeled buildings in downtown Dallas. Within just a few city blocks one can see a man in his London Fog coat stepping into his BMW and another keeping dry with an inverted lawn and leaf bag.
For some, this is a time of cheer. But is there anything more sterile than a Christmas tree in a bank?
This is the famous Green Building with its thousands of feet of neon tubes lighting up the nighttime skyline. But peek inside and you see the descendents of Hebrew slaves same as ever. For many years I did work such as this. I'll never blame Darian for opting out.
This is the infamous McDonalds where a homeless man grabbed a policeman's service revolver and shot him while the crowd around chanted, "Shoot him! Shoot him!" as the officer begged for his life. That was in 1988 but a stain like that never goes away. All sorts of people will hit you up for a "buck for a burger" as you enter or leave. My advice: don't make eye contact.
Further down is the bus station, nice and bright for warding off potential followers.
Further out on the outskirts are bail bondsmen and court houses. Something wrong with jail time and Christmas lights mixed together. I find looking at the underbelly of justice to be quite despairing.
Here we reach the industrial slums, warehouses and trailers looking to be useful just one more time. Sometimes I think America is going to turn into nothing but empty warehouses.
A desperate shelter from the weather. I'm dry and unbothered here and for the moment that's all that counts. Life has been reduced to its most basic elements of survival.
A broken bottle at my feet represents so many things that can't be pieced back together. I felt like I was taking a crime scene photo, so stark and unvarnished a deed.
Sarcasm Alley
In the Land of Milk and Honey when you die they think it's funny
cheshyre grin
- Location
- Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come
- Birthday
- January 01
- Title
- The One True
- Company
- An ill-favoured thing, sir, but mine own.
- Bio
- Quit your snooping, bitch.
MY RECENT POSTS
- "I don't feel like a hero."
May 27, 2012 11:36AM - The Sword Of Doom (Clarity In
A Grey World)
May 26, 2012 10:09AM - Do You Have An OS Spy?
May 23, 2012 08:07AM - Why I Watch Travel Channel
While Broke
May 21, 2012 03:05AM - War In The Elevator
May 18, 2012 05:18AM
MY RECENT COMMENTS
- “Thanks, Libby. I thought
it was a beautiful gesture by
the
vets. True heroes
keep…”
6:39PM - “I think a lot of people
were being disingenuous in
their
statements, phyllis.
The…”
4:18PM - “We now resume our
regularly scheduled
shooting.”
11:39AM - “Thanks, LL. With my
Western eyes I missed the
karmic
undertones when I first
watc…”
May 26, 2012 05:53PM - “In corporations we
trust. God knows why.”
May 26, 2012 04:48PM
Cheshyre grin's Links
- Fort Worth Japanese Gardens
- Japanese Garden Blossoms In Winter's Repose
- The Sounds Of Japan, FW Gardens (Video)
- A Gentle Japanese Rain In Autumn
- Japanese Spring Festival 2010
- Photo Trip: Autumn Solace in the Japans
- The Japans - Echoes of the Past
- My Opus
- In Search Of The REAL Bonnie and Clyde
- Lives Fallen Through The Cracks
- One Flew Over The Homeless Camp
- Happy Sam Is A Dreamer
- Jimmy One Shoe Is Dead. You're Next.
- The Last Moments Of A Street Hustler
- Where Is Home?
- The Dying Of The Light
- Church Pees On Jobless, Tells Them It's Raining
- Sometimes...
- The Broken Egg
- A Small Smile at the Shelter Today
- The Streets Of Darian
- The Fires Of Darian
- Colby "Lotto" Lewis
- Lives Like Autumn Leaves
- Jonathon Isn't Speaking Anymore
- Darian the Dreamer
- Goupil, The Assassin
- 5. Goupil: An Assassin In Love
- 4. Goupil: A Bullet For Love
- 3. Goupil: Something's Got To Change
- 2. Goupil: Life After Arrest
- 1. An Assassination Of Character
- Meta Movies
- Writer Vs. Writer, The Movie
- Open Salon: The Movie
- Great OS Spambot Clone War of 2010
- Zhomas Explains Why The Four Hour Feed Is Gone
- Zerry Forces Zhomas To Apologize
- OS Satyricon! The Empire Strikes Back!
- Oda Nobunaga, Warlord of Japan
- Oda's Great Moment
- Oda! (A journey to Japan)
- To Whom Can I Answer?
- Loathing On A Summer Morn
- Photo Essays
- Chandor Gardens
- God Hates Fags? (Photo Journalism)
- The Last Picture Show Revisited
- Take A Tour Of Cowboys Stadium!
- Japanese Spring Festival 2010
- Water and Walkways at the Kimbell Art Museum
- Historic Homes of Gainesville
- Harry Does Dallas: Ghosts Of Deep Ellum
- Historic Baker Hotel
- Texas' Killing Kilns of Chemicals
- FW Japanese Gardens
- Harry Gets a New Camera
- Dallas Urban outposts On a Rainy Day
- Cowboys Home Opener In New Stadium (Photo Essay)
- Autumn Solace in the Japans
- The Streets of Darian
- Pate Transportation Museum Closing
- The Pharaoh Eats Mexican (Photo Essay)
- The Reds of Japan
- Sei Shonagon & The Japans
- Gracia Hosokawa, A Samurai's Samurai
- Sengoku Jidai: The Winds Of Destiny
- Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)
- The Japans - Echoes of the Past
- Great Films of The Japans
- Kakushi-toride no san-akunin
- Lists of Sei Shonagon
- Lists of Sei Shonagon II
- Read all about it
- Mr. Steed Interviews Mrs. Emma Peel
The streets of Dallas have turned cold in both weather and heart over the past few days. A chilling rain wetted the streets and any who inhabited them. I could not help but think of homeless Darian and what he must be going through. His self-exile from the shelter must be amplified by the inhospitable climate, I thought. And the stinging wind inching him further down death's road.
Goodbye yellow brick road

Salon.com
Comments
This is a beautiful post. Thanks for showing your very talented eye, and thanks for your eloquent words.
There are places like this in my city. I'd like to show you one day, but since that's pretty doubtful the next time I'm out and about I'll get some photographs to share with you.
*nodding*
Rated.
Thank you for the lovely compliments, aim.
Natalie, I'd love to see those photos! I could have done tons more of downtown but my batteries died.
BlindDog, it's scary all over, for sure.
Tink, I'd love for you to show up and dance to their classical music!
Good to see you, Rose! Thanks for stopping by.
R
But, seriously - great post. I had forgotten about that shooting at McDonalds. Hey, I was in my Rockwall bubble.
Now do a post with all the pretty and nice things about Dallas!
Julie, be careful! I do have a soft spot for Mozart (Figaro!). I just didn't want to tell Surly so my undesirable ass could still sneak up on her. And we got Barry to show all the good stuff in Dallas :)
(I know I owe you a note, just catching up with stuff...have to get through giving a lecture tomorrow at Old City Park)