Closing time..

The the north east corner outside my bar is often inhabited by a breed of human I call "crusty punks", or "gutter punks". Camo, dreads, facial tats, and pit bulls, these kids are the ones holding up "Why lie, I want a beer" signs. The dogs carry pack and look hungry and worried, while the kids jerk the choke chain for every lunge at freedom they make. Not one of these dogs have I ever seen was well behaved.

much less last night. Starting from about eight o'clock on I could hear some girl yelling and a dog barking . We also had one dog in a car in a yuppie car who sat there from four when I got there, with no visits from his owner. My bartender LOVES dogs, and to see one mistreated was driving her crazy. Eventually, the owner did show up, and I informed my coworker so she could cease her worrying. of course she had to go talk to them. seconds later I see her chasing the unfixed, year old yellow lab down the street toward the crusties corner. I walk out to the curb, and the absolutely empty eyed woman who was owner of the dog stared at me and said "she chased him" I can hear snarling and yelling from around the corner and I go back in for my cell phone so I can call "clean and safe" and have them remove the nutty kids, but by coworker quickly comes around the corner dragging the dog and looking more than a little distraught.

the soulless thing who really needs to get her dog fixed had not even moved from beside her car. Had not even thought to get her dogs leash. She simply stood there while my compatriot drags her bouncing and untrained dog back. now, this bartender ain't no spring chicken, but her sprint after that dog was pretty amazing.

the dog returned I was told of one of the crusty kids dogs had made a lunge at him after he had gotten his muzzle off, and how the lady used to work across the street at the hotel.

Blah blah blah, why do these ass holes have dogs any way?

The yelling and the barking on the corner has just gotten louder and more aggressive and then the cops show up. This is nothing new in my hood. Drunks, homeless and trendy douche bags from the burbs hitting the hot spots for an appletini, all in one little area I like to call Shanghai Alley.

there are 5 cop cars and the yelling girl voice is not yelling "Take pictures, Take Pictures" but by the time I get to the back window the guy who was taking pictures is being put in a cop car. and there are two dread heads face down on the ground with hands zip tied behind them. the cops are searching them, and throwing their things up on the hood of the cop car. I was not impressed at to see one of Portland's finest throw one of the kids guitars up on the hood with way more force than necessary.

of course by this time they are trying to load the hippie dude into the car. He is being "limp" and the cops eventually drag him to the car. I can only imagine having to touch this person who most likely has not washed his hair in 6 months. Some how they get him. but almost immediately something is happening and they open up the car door only to let the limp hippie ooze out the side closes to the widow we were watching out of. after repeated threats of tazering and a few sharp knees to the back they get the man reloaded.

the girl is smart, she gets up, but still yelling "take pictures, this is illegal" and other things. but Portland's sit-lie makes it so. Yet people are up in arms that you can't sit and lie on the side walk and impede traffic. Are there no benches for them to sit on? Must they pee on my corner?

why do I want to feel bad for the crusties who get roughed up by the cops but just don't? That man could have just gotten in the car, but he made them drag him. He could have chosen to sit on a bench in a less lucrative spanging corner, but then they also could have stayed home in Omaha, gone to school and been a doctor.


but look! The big O wants em! gutter punks come home!

go kids, go!

yay!