So, the son of a bitch threw me away like I was nothing; not cool. But well, I had a place to sleep. That was my first time lying on a matrimonial bed, a big one, a nice one, damn good one. It was really a nice home.
But that wasn't going to get me what I wanted in any way. So, I started walking around, to see if I could find something, or someone. I knew I was going to keep walking around until death came knocking on my heart. And when it does, I was sure as hell, going to give me up.
Across the street was a newspaper stand, which saw the newspaper man reading one of his papers, while a crowd of middle-aged men gathered around, discussing the paper's headline.
I walked past them slowly, with my bag right at my back, and my shirt hanging on my shoulder, held by my left hand, and stopped to mingle with the papers, not that I knew what It was all about.
The wind was mild and sunlight wasn't heavily imposed on earth.
The entrance door of a fast food, opening and closing, with people trooping in and out, just opposite of the newspaper what was got my stomach's attention, and I salivated, wishing I had money on me.
Just in the middle of the getting-busy road, a trailer and a car following behind two impatient women on the Pedestrian side talking to each other were halted by the traffic cop.
And a few moments later another Insanity issued. A motorcycle at top speed, riding through the ham of vehicles hit a coffee stand and was held by good citizens, who wanted him to pay for his damage.
And a man, in his mid 50's, who I would say was a mad man, tattered clothes, unkept hair, bulgy brown sleep deprived eyes, bare footed and a clownish face swept through from a corner at the street , right beside the newspaper stand, and immediately issued himself to the coffee shop, taking a pre-made coffee and a sausage roll from the counter top while they were still arguing. No, no one noticed, only me.
As if I was hypnotized by the man, every movement of his were captured and recorded to my each and every one of my brain cells, and I watched him walk across the road and crept back to his corner.
I was amazed, he had such great skills. I took a few steps away, seemed like I should follow the man. I looked back at the coffee stand, retracing his movements, and then, his steps, and I slowly and cautiously walked pass the street, unto the corner where he had crept back to.
It was another street altogether. It was only a tall building that demarcated the two streets, just like the other, it was busy as well, but that wasn't my concern.
I glanced about the street and found the man in his corner, he sat near a light waste dump, excited and incautious as he dived into his breakfast.
"Wow, breakfast is served. Just as easy as this?" I said to myself, feeling like I could get food like the man did, it was easy, he didn't have to work so hard for it.
And as I was contemplating on whether I should go ahead with a plan of mine, his coin bin was filled up with a few dollar bills from passersby, two passerbys. I could tell that he had gotten a quick $10. Wow, so there was something else?
It felt great, and the feeling I got was that I had found something, and someone. I have found a way to survive.
I crossed the road to the alleyway, unto his corner, and met his piercing brown eyes scanning through my face.
"No, I haven't come to steal" I said, in assurance, as his hand grasped the coin bin, giving it to his back for safe keeping.
I sat down beside him, feeling the warmth from the sun, while my eyes glanced through the cool street, bearing the noises they gave in my ears.
As I always did, I scanned through the corner, and right behind us was like an escape route. There was an iron bar fence, not too short, not too tall, but it would take time to jump over it anyways. It led to another alleyway, which seemed void of any activity.
"I don't know what your deal is girl, but you ain't getting no money, and be warned, if you try stealing from me, I'll shoot you dead, I gotta pistol, and I'm retired soldier, fought in the cold war of iraq, I served my country…" he smiled, shaking his head, and continued, with his squashy voice. "But when I got back, everyone thought I was crazy, I took to—"
"Oh damn it old man, I don't want to hear your life story, I got mine, keep that shit to yourself, or tell your ghost friends when you die, I'm sure you will have enough time in the ghost land before the universe decides where to take you to…" I glanced through his face, and his body. He didn't look like a bad man, "maybe heaven or … whatever" I sighed, sitting comfortably on the ground.
I looked back at him, he was still looking at me, benumbed. I waved my hand at his face, and used my fingers to move his eyes. Funny enough, the man followed my fingers around. I chuckled.
"I will never understand what a young girl like you is doing here… what trouble did you get yourself into?" He asked. Oh hell, I wasn't going to entertain questions.
"So, how do you get people to give you money?" I asked him.
He shrugged. "It's easy, I'm a beggar!" He exclaimed, bringing his coin bin in front of us. It had more than I expected.
"Wow that's a lotta money for a beggar" I said, and he gazed at me with a daunting face.
"Are you kidding me? Lotta money?! I got bills to pay, rent to pay…"
I looked around, yeah, he got a rent to pay for rats and mosquitoes.
"And I—"
"You talk too much, Geez" I said, obstructing his speech.
"You are not from out here, are you?" He asked calmly.
"I think I am… is a long story buddy…" I sighed. "Survival is all I desire," I said, looking into his pale brown eyes.
He stood up and reached for a nylon bag behind the waste bin, he opened it and brought out a loaf of bread.
"Eww" I expressed disgust, who knew how long the bread had been there? But he surprised me, he cut it into two, and had the other half put into the bag, while he further divided the remaining half, taking one and giving me one. The bread was oven fresh.
"Oh my, how do you get these?" I asked, as I took a bite, it tasted great.
"You ask too many questions" he said, treating himself from his own portion.

And that was how I got a buddy, and how I became a beggar, in Los Angeles.