Nice and Ugly Downtown

Downtown has two different sides: The poor and the rich. And I think you see that in every North American city although I just have been to Calgary's and Toronto's So far. Here in Calgary you see fantastic shops with luxury merchandises, pretty women with handsome guys sitting in the bars and cafes and enjoying their time. You also see skyscrapers, banks, engineering and insurance companies. But you also see homeless people, street prostitutes and crack smokers. And that’s the part I don’t like. I’m not saying that I don’t like that people because I believe that this is not what they want. They must have had something happened to them to led them to such a miserable life. 7th Ave. and 8th St. SW is a juncture that I don’t like and is usu. busy in Downtown. There’s LRT station and a Mac’s convenience store and McDonald's, a few bus stops around and some oriental and other kinds of stores. So it’s always crowded. Today I was waiting for the train when I got back from a clinic because of the injury I had yesterday at gym and a poor, old, dirty woman asked me for change. I was on the platform and first I said no and she just left but then I felt really bad for poor woman and called her and asked how much she needs. She mentioned something like 5 bucks and I handed her $3. When she extended her arm to get the coins from me while sucking to a straw of a paper cup of prob. just water, I saw her dirty hands filled with a few dimes, pennies and nickels. The poor old woman hasn’t had a bath for prob. weeks and when she saw money she thanked a lot. Even now when I remember her I can’t stop my head turning left and right and there’s a lump in my throat and my eyes are filled with tears. No one wants to live like that and I promise myself not ever buying and wearing fancy dresses. I promise myself to always remember these people and try to help the ones who deserve.
(Photo: The pathway along Bow River where people jug, bike or skate while just a few blocks away you see homeless and poor ones)