Gental aftermath

[Eugene]

After all the whirlwind of rumors and slight of hand stories, the phone calls from Mom and eyewitnesses, I arrive. I am fresh off a shift; bartending in Pioneer Square, a recent shooting makes the gossip line all a buzz, down there, but Capitol Hill? That’s unheard of until a month ago, when a hulk of a man went on a rampage. (I met Kyle Huff on two separate occasions, by the way, another story). A shooting at Broadway and John is quite another matter. It is 3:30 am the morning of the April 26th, I am dropped off by the cab and I proceed to the spot outside Twice-sold tales. I notice a man coming up behind me as I stare at the blood soaked sidewalk, he says “Take it in while you can” handling a five gallon can of hot water and a mop. Various cleaning products escape from his coat and he says, “I know these owners they shouldn’t have to see this in the morning! He has taken it upon himself to clean up theses stains. This is a major bus stop, the 8, the 43 pause here every 15 minutes, people come and go like ants all day long. “They shouldn’t see this!” I ask if he is with the city. “The city should be ashamed of it’s self, I’m here cause people shouldn’t be seeing this in the morning”, as he goes to task. “Look at how fresh it is” as he pours water and cleanser on the stains. They easily fade with the water, I admit I’m here to gawk, as he goes into a gentle admonishment, reminding me of the shame of humanity and the need do our part… I am taken back. “Is there still humanity?” I question myself. My hero of the early hours, who is resenting his picture being taken, ducking out of view in fact, but by my standards, needs to be documented! Spelled Ress (pronounced reece). I will never forget the conversation I had with the unsung hero who cleaned up the mess that the city should have. This is for the thoughtfulness of one human being and to answer my own question, just one of many, with a resounding “YES!” I made him laugh and got a picture in the end. Bless us all.

[mattoly]

I had a friend who used to do this job with a bunch of buddies for the PDX police department. He was a manic depressive who sometimes hated life, which made this an odd (if telling) job choice.

A few years later he got upset about a girl and jumped from a NYC high rise to the concrete eighteen stories below.

Just sayin'.

[kinaidos]

"Family Values" by Eva Saks is a documentary short about a lesbian run company that cleans up crime scenes. Worth a watch. It's included in an equally worth-watching collection Full Frame: Documentary Shorts Vol. 1. (available from GreenCine.com).