OMERTA

We don't want to get too dramatic here, but the fact is that in Homeless Nation, the best way to go along to get along is to adhere to the tradition of omerta in all you see and do and hear.

It's like any other cultural and social and ethnic group -and yes, street puppies qualify as a separate group from say, firefighters - while you are where you are, be quiet, make no waves, and forget that you saw who took the shoes from the old street puppy who can barely walk to his panhandling spot.

Or that you know who stole the phone from the guy who so desperately needs to stay in contact with his day labor office for his only source of income and will probably be out of a job.

Or that you know who the woman was who savagely beat another woman for nothing more than admonishing the assailant that she shouldn't be defecating in a public park if for no other reason than if she were seen doing it her action would result in the neighbors believing that all street puppies did the same.

Or that you know the 'nice' couple who got a woman drunk on the day she cashed her disability check and then while she was sleeping it off went into her purse and took all of the money and retreated to a motel for a week long drinking and pill binge.

Or that you know who stole so and so's this and that, or that you are aware of the woman who regularly pimps out her daughter to make money for crack.

Or that you know the person who steals every day from the local convenience store...the one where the guy who owns the place won't allow homeless into the store anymore  without an abusive remark because of the high rate of theft in his store.

Or that you know who regularly sells the crack and pills to the guys over on the corner who can barely stand up all day, and really don't have a shot at life anymore.

Or that you know who the guy is at the very helpful and famous social agency who regularly demands and gets sexual favors from women he is supposed to be helping in return for the services they so desperately need.

Or that you know who murdered your good friend.

So many secrets, so little time.

But actually no time to do the right thing because to do so would put you at great risk from the people in Homeless Nation who regularly prey upon their own, and who would think nothing of  reaching out to hurt you, and if anybody saw it or knew of it, they would be silent.

Omerta.

But make a list, remember the faces and names of the people whom you know should be stopped -maybe not punished because you are not a judge or a jury - but stopped from hurting people who can barely make it in the world.

And when you leave Homeless Nation make sure that people  who can do something about all that you have seen which needs to be addressed.  Not avenged.  Adressed by people who can actually fix it.

And maybe it will help to soothe your guilty conscience for keeping silent about so many things for the sake of going along to get along for so long.