Portland Street People

The heart of Portland is more than just the inner city. There is something more here that sets it apart from Chicago, Milwaukee, and the Twin Cities. In each city I practiced observing the people as I walked to see what I could see. Besides, cheap entertainment, I got some exercise, had some conversations and would return to any of these big cities anytime.

In Portland I saw the interaction of street people, people who really do live their lives on the street with tourists, businessmen and women, students, families, everybody. A couple of words describe my observations: tolerance, acceptance. We were all in close contact, but not touching, not talking, moving around each other - like a fast dance.

Images that I will remember

Young girls on different corners, 20ish, sitting on the sidewalk surrounded by backpacks, pillows, shoes - very organized - kind of like they all belonged to a club with the same set up. The girls sat alone, not in groups, and did not hold signs, money cans, or ask for money.

Young guys, also 20ish, but in groups of two or three huddled with their stuff, but always with a sign, some creative like, "visions of pizza." The boys also made noise either drumming the same beat over and over again on plastic buckets or talking loud to be seen and heard. All had a container to drop money in.

Older women, no teeth, wrapped in blankets with their money can rattling, usually near the light rail. They always tried to get our attention.

An agitated man, with hair out of control to match his actions. He was washing his bloody forearms (looked scratched and picked at) in a fancy four spout drinking fountain on street corner. He was ranting to the people nearby who were waiting for a bus. I was going in the same direction and followed him as he walked around City Hall scratching his arms. I assume drug use is rampant here.

A teenage boy asking for 25 or 50 cents from people on the light rail. He worked the entire car without any givers, some nodded 'no' others just turned away. I had seen him the day before, but he had gotten a $1 from a woman.

A young woman and her baby sat nearby at a coffee shop. As she got up to leave and began packing up all her baby stuff, I made a comment that I remembered hauling all that stuff many years ago. She said offhandedly, "I'm homeless. I won't be able to leave a tip for the girls." And, then she was out the door. The waitresses came over and said they were going to buy her food - but she had left the money on the table. She had told them the same thing like she had said, "I'm from out of town." They had never seen her before. She had Gerber's for the baby, both were clean and looked like they were in town for a day of shopping.

After that encounter, I noticed many more young women with big backpacks, or pulling suitcases on rollers carrying a baby or pushing a stroller. The scene made me take a second look wondering if they were at home on the street.

A man sitting on the sidewalk across from Powell's Books taking up most of the corner with cartons of leftover food, bags of stuff, and items like an ipod wrapped with duck tape and a radio. He was very busy organizing his space. The crowds just circumnavigated his area.

I didn't notice as many older men. Any that I did see were going someplace with a purpose, not lingering like the others.

To understand what I think about these situations, I'll need some time and more information.


Otherwise, the others were busy on their iphones, either playing games, texting, or talking. As I mentioned earlier, many read books at the transit stops. Many people eating and drinking in groups or alone at the many, many outdoor cafes and pubs. The most crowded store was Nordstorm Rack. (guess how I knew?)