THE BOOKMARKER

By Roger Esty

Times are tough. Getting tougher everyday for a lot of people. The baby boomers aren't used to this. It was my generation(baby boomers) that let this thing happen. The politicians(baby boomers) were supposed to protect us. They sold out and stood guard for the old guard and now we're all paying for it,literally.

See more homeless walking the streets. My grand daughter Amanda's Flamenco class is in a neighborhood in San Diego called Golden Hill.Used to be a high end little burg. Old Victorian style homes. Well with the recession the gold has lost a lot of its glow. People sleeping in Balboa Park(which is in the area) , in the alleys and the store fronts. I see families picking through the trash cans. Beggars.

There's a Starbucks a half block away from the dance studio on the corner. Me and Amanda have a frappacino waiting for the class to begin. We usually sit there listening to the best piped in music. Soul,jazz,and blues. Fits the bohemian atmoshere.

There's this one gal. I'd say middle aged. From the way she looks I'd say she doesn't have a place to live.Her clothes look like they've been slept in. I see her going through the city trash bins and the sanitainers in the alleys.

She's come around to me and Amanda a couple of times. Once up at Luigis Pizza Parlor about two blocks away,and the other day at Starbucks. She asks if you could spare a quarter or anything,and you get to pick these hand painted book markers she's made. She's draws animals,seascapes,sunsets,country and mountain images. The bookmarkers are very pretty and colorfull. I always buy a few. She's always very appreciative.

She could probably sell her bookmarkers at a street fair or in the park. Even a store that sells things like that. A gift store.

Sometimes I think my art goes unnoticed. Well just about every artist is thinking the same thing. However when I start feeling sorry for myself that my art ain't hanging in the Louvre,I think of that gal with the bookmarkers. She's happy just to have something to eat.