Homeless in Vancouver: Roots in the neighbourhood

As I stopped to watch two painters at work on a Heather Street building at 17th Avenue today, I noticed this fairly rough-looking character—possibly a gardener or planter of some sort, also watching a little ways away from me.

He didn’t appear to realize that he was close enough to the work that his hoody was getting quite spattered with white paint. When I pointed this out to him however, his only reaction was to imperceptibly shrub his shoulders and continue sidewalk supervising.

Perhaps I pressed the point a bit too hard; I don’t know—I was just trying to be helpful—but he ended up almost completely snubbing me; only acknowledging me in order to fix me with very dark look indeed.

I think that he must’ve learned his manners living in the bush!