Popcorn anyone?

My second month on the job, about May, 1994, one of our homeless clients snapped. Without provocation he started breaking out plate glass windows in our rented space. Boom, boom, boom, broken glass all over, and the 40 or 50 homeless men and women on the sidewalk were practically shaking, they were so keyed up from this random display. I came running outside in time to see the fourth window go, and could feel the tension in the air. This took place just before we opened for the night, which was 10:00 p.m. at that time. (We open earlier now. Thank goodness.)

I turned to the folks in line outside and said, "If any of the rest of you are going to put on a show, I want you to call me out of the office so I won't miss it."

Without missing a beat, one of the homeless guys said, "If there's going to be a double feature, you've gotta provide popcorn."

Laughter filled the night air, the tension was broken, and we went on to have a great night.

The amazing thing -- the next night, some unknowing donor came around with about 40 gallons of popcorn, ready to serve.

I have to throw these stories up on the blog or I'll forget them, you know? Rick