Driving to Community Dinner at Grace, a train passed by on the bridge over my head at Fulton Street. I knew that James would be seeing it soon. It always makes me feel connected to him when I watch the trains go by on the way to the bridge where he lives. (Same bridge Pete and Ricky used to live under.) Later, downtown at the Green Bean, I stopped in the doorway on the way in to watch a train leaving the station, heading out of town, and again thought, “James will be seeing that train soon.”
I saw James the night of the homeless count, but didn’t get to spend much time with him. I’ll probably see him next week on NightWatch. We usually get to see at least one train go by while we’re there. Everybody gets still and just watches it roll past. The train noises echo off the concrete bridge and ring in our ears. James has a front row seat for at least a dozen trains a day. I love trains. And I love James. But I’ll be glad when the day comes that James has to leave home for us to watch trains together.
Update, 08/28/2010: James went to live with a family member after the death of a friend under the bridge in July. As far as I know, he’s still living inside.