Pointless Search?

I'm not really sure what to say when I get calls like I got this week.

"My daughter is missing, she was evicted from her Capitol Hill apartment. The manager says he saw her in the park. When you find her, have her call me collect."

I feel so cynical in these situations. In a town of 1.2 million (Greater Seattle) and 7,800 homeless individuals on any given night (according to the One Night Count) I'm supposed to wander around and find a particular not-very-together homeless woman? Give me a break.

So, I did drive around a bit on Capitol Hill last night. Didn't really see anyone at 9:30 p.m. I'll keep the particulars in my car so I can jump out like a cop making a bust: "Call your mother!"

OK. Stranger things have happened.