In defense of Park City homeless

 My supervisor came on my bus to warn me about the homeless and all the problems they cause, such as open containers and smoking weed. He told a little story of how a homeless man once had a crockpot and was making food in the transit center. He thought this would shock and upset me. I pushed back and said "homeless people have to eat" 

"But the problem is the homeless in this town want to be homeless!"

I replied "So? Does that mean they shouldn't eat?"

He backed down a little and said "yeah they don't bother me too much but it's not the image Park City wants" 

I didn't know what to say to that. A few hours after thought of a lot of things I should have said but didn't think of them quick enough. So I just said again "everyone has to eat everyday." Probably not the best thing to say but I needed to communicate the fact that I was mad. I get upset when people that he trash-talk the homeless.

He could not handle the idea that I would disagree with him. Complaining about the homeless is an easy thing to do, and you expect everyone around you to validate your complaints. Well, at least the people in Park City don't expect pushback. 

After my shift was over, my supervisor gave me a ride home in a company car. Which really doesn't jive with company policy. But I get off after midnight and I have a mile walk in below-freezing temperatures so I accepted the ride. During the ride we talked a little about bus driving. I said I like going to the gym because sitting & driving a bus for so long is uncomfortable for your cardiovascular system, and I gotta get my heart racing every once in a while.

Then he said "confrontation makes my heart race." And I wondered if that was a callback to a few hours earlier when I defended the homeless. Maybe it was him opening up about his anxiety. So maybe I should have more compassion for him. Hopefully he changed his mind about the homeless by the time he dropped me off, but that seems naïve of me to hope for.

Every week I get rich tourists on my bus that have open containers and I have to tell them to throw it away. I get rich tourists every week that reek of marijuana. Everyday I clean my bus and rich tourists have left a mess. I've only dealt with one homeless guy, and he smelled like cigarettes, but he was super nice. I dunno. Complaining about the homeless but not the tourists just feels delusional. 

The buses here in Park City are free, and I had a girl who didn't know that and asked how to pay for the bus. I told her "No need to pay, we're communist here in Park City" and her boyfriend laughed his head off.

Love you all.

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