Bummerman Take 2

A couple days after I wrote about this social Bummerman, I found that he was no longer under the bridge that I saw him until then. I guess the Clean Philadelphia program by Mr.Nutter is the mysterious hand behind this guy missing. I spoke to my colleagues a week later about him and they said they saw him a couple blocks south of our building. I never saw him myself.

I met him near the Von Colln Field close to the Art Museum area . I spoke to him bit hesitantly at first. It was not like I speak to homeless people daily. In fact it was the first time that had I made an initiative to speak to a member of this socially outcast members of our society.

He is from Baltimore and was also in minor league once. He had coached kids in the little league for a few years. The kids in the baseball park come to him for tips on their game. He also attended medical school for 3 years and dropped out as he did not like it. He taught at a school for a while.

I found that he is between jobs and has friends who drop on him once in a while. It looks like he did a lot of things before settling into his current status. There might be a lot other things that one does not and cannot disclose to a stranger on the first conversation. But I had no doubt in my mind while accepting his story. My friend called me naive when I told him that he was not on drugs. I do not mind being naive as against judging a person. I have done that mistake once but not anymore.

Now that I spoke to him, I have lot more questions. Is this his choice, is he happy, how about his heathcare, how about his food. He did answer to some of my questions, but it strikes a little difficult to be living as such voluntarily, especially for a guy who is educated and smart. One such question was where does he sleep now, as his home has been cleaned up by the city. He keeps walking around the city in the night and sleeps during the day because the city officials would not let them sleep in the night on the benches.

I recently read a book called Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets by Sudhir Venkatesh. That book has created an entry into the field of sociology in my mind. It's a coincidence that I met Mr.Bummerman and my interest to understand the sociological incentives have when people like Bummerman decide to stay in their current circumstances. The sad part is that I do not remember his name. I promise this to myself that the next time, I talk to him, I will know his name and will no longer address him as Bummerman.