working man...not really.

today was a fun day. since yesterday I had explored downtown, today I went back with some thoughts on a little project I wanted to do. my plan was to go to businesses in the downtown square, and volunteer for the day. I would walk in, ask to speak to a manager, and then explain what I was doing. it's a project I'm working on, I'm a volunteer for the day. I'm going around and asking for work, so if you've got work for 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours. whatever. I'll take out trash, I'll clean bathrooms. whatever you have for me to do.

I got downtown about 1pm or so. it was interesting seeing the different reactions. I went to about 15 places, after that I got to where I could tell if someone was a definite no, or possibly might listen. most of the people I talked to didn't listen. almost before I stopped talking they'd say no thanks. almost like I was a used car salesman. but the few people that DID listen, and heard what I was saying were amazing. one of those conversations would go like this:

me explain what I'm doing.
them: so you're volunteering?
me: yes.
them:why?
me:because no one else does.
them:how many of you are there?
me:just me.
them:what cause are you doing this for?
me:I'm not doing it for any cause.
them:why would you do that tho?
me:cause no one does it. so I want to.
them:that's amazing. I've never heard of anything like this. this is incredible.

it was fun. out of the 15 places or so I went, only 3 of them were open to what I was doing. and only 1 let me work. the first place I went, Marietta Pizza Co, had a very nice manager who listened to all I said, but then took it to the owner who said they didn't have anything for me. at the second place, Blimpie's Subs and Salads, I talked to the owner, Bernie. after it taking forever to explain what I was doing, and for him to get over his amazement, he put me the to work. the only person to do it. he had me clean his windows, which were filthy. after a while, I had the semi-clean, and he was getting really busy so I left and told him i might come back later. he said he'd have more for me if I did.

the rest of the places said no, I did come across one fairly nice place where I explained everything and the lady got really excited, said it was really cool, and I was her savior. she said she had lots I could do. then she went into the back to explain it to the manager, and she came back and said by law, they couldn't let me work there. I'm not sure what law that is, or how it works. but she said she was sorry she couldn't use me. oh well.

after walking around for a few hours, it was getting near 4 probably. so I headed back to the car, drove around, went to a cemetery for soldiers, got some interested pictures there. and then I decided I wanted to film this coffee shop I had been to several times, Cool Beans. so I headed back there, walked thru it filming, and outside to where some tables are. then I walked around for a bit more, just looking around again.

about this time there was a group of 5 ppl sitting around a table outside the coffee shop. there always seemed to be groups like that, whenever I went. anyway, as I walked by the group, they noticed my camera, and a guy asked me if I needed something to film. he invited me to sit down, introduced me to the group, and offered me a cigarette. as much as I appreciated the gesture, I did turn him down on that. ;)

I found out his name is Justin, and his friends are Nicole, Stephen, Brian, and Patrick. and they hang outside the back of the coffee shop almost everyday. they were all smoking, and offering them to anyone that walked up. Justin seemed to know every other person walking by, seemed like he had been around a long time. so we talked about random and assorted subjects for quite sometime, just going on about everything and nothing. after a while Stephen left, and then Patrick. they then decided to show me "The Hole" which was this cement..hole.. in the middle of the square. it held like a generator or something, and there was shrubs all around it so you wouldn't notice. seemed like a cool place to hang out. and then they remembered a tree that was famous, and I HAD to see. it's a tree shaped like a rather inappropriate part of the male anatomy. it was a few minutes away by car, so we hopped in Nicole's car, and went to visit it. it was rather...graphic.. but I had a good time with them. after that they went back to the coffee shop, and I headed back here.I do hope to go back and see them more in the future. they're pretty cool people.

so that's my day. in short. tho it's not ended yet. who knows what could happen now. but I'm satisfied with what happened. can't ask for a much better day this that.

here's a tiny vid. the group of ppl, and a clip of the cement hole. the sound wouldn't load for the last part tho. oh well.