"La Policia Mi Amigos"

This part of SoMa isn't exactly the "tourist district", but "the sweep" could include this neighborhood too. A police van is parked on Howard Street near 12th. Why?

They better not sweep Modesto away. I go to the alley to check on him. His sleeping bag is gone. Perhaps he got word of the "sweep" and has hidden his (few) belongings. I probably shouldn't worry; the cops assigned to this part of SoMa know Modesto. "Police?" he says shrugging his shoulders, "they know me. Never bother me. They my friends".

SoMa Patrols will shepherd homeless

SF Chronicle, October 3, 2007

"San Francisco will begin cracking down this week on homeless people who commit quality-of-life crimes in a 15-block area of the city's South of Market district - the tourist-heavy section that includes Bloomingdales, the Metreon and Moscone Center.

The city will send teams of outreach workers and police officers to offer social services to any homeless person . . . If the homeless people refuse the services, they will receive a citation and will be told to appear in traffic court in 45 days."

Since when is "refusing services" a crime?

Night of the Lovefest

On Saturday night I was walking up 11th towards Folsom. Modesto was on 11th walking towards Harrison. Just as I was about to put my foot down, there's Modesto bending down to pick-up a dollar bill. I said, "Hey, that's mine!" He's ready to hand it over to me.

"No Modesto, you keep it. Next time you find money, give some to me".

I've heard from several people that he has a talent for finding money. "That Modesto, he's always finding money . . ."

Now I've seen it with my own eyes. He works and lives in the footsteps and shadows of the "scenesters." Lucky for him, many too drunk to notice they've dropped a couple of bills from their wallet.