there are no answers

It all continues and nothing changes.The man continues to hover on the block. Thursday he lay in the restaurant doorway screaming as patrons stepped over him. I called, my property manager called, finally an officer came out, phoned me, said "Oh someone's flagging me down about him," and when I went back down later, he was gone, cited for trespassing.

Friday night I returned home with my bike and the man was screaming, pacing rapidly up and down the sidewalk.

It was a game of dodge-em to get myself safely inside.

My property manager A has been helpful and empathetic and doing her best but ultimately is powerless.

*

Officer Lewis came out today about 8.20am. I’d exited my building to see the man sitting wrapped in a blanket on the porch of the Airbnb next door. I called 311 and the officer was pretty snotty when she first arrived. Couldn’t find the police report, said he wasn’t breaking any laws, the homeowner would have to complain. Meanwhile he sat and stared sullenly across the street at me standing outside the cop car.

I went inside to get my hard copy of the report and when I came back, he was gone.

She looked it up, said it was entered as trespassing not indecent exposure. Then she said, "Oh he’s gone?" (quelle surprise)

I’m annoyed, tired of explaining over and over what’s happened. Tired of feeling like I’m the one to blame. Meanwhile church goers are arriving, setting up coffee and pastries outside, the work crew nearby (Spanish speakers all) looking uneasy.

My neighbor walked up, coffee in hand. Now the officer addressed him. (Yay sexism)

She said the man's name is Shawn, he’s well known for vandalism, exposing himself, screaming and harassing. The coffee shop around the corner has dealt with him, a bar had its window broken out. He was on the next street over for awhile. His sister lives in the neighborhood, feeds and houses him sometimes, but he cusses her out and leaves. He’s been hospitalized.

So again there are no good solutions. S. doesn’t want help and is crafty enough to elude the cops and any long lasting treatment or penalties. The officer said he’s been arrested before but then they get complaints about the police harassing homeless people.

I'm trying to live my values, of compassion and not harming anyone, but what do I do when I feel so unsafe?

I'm trying to be brave, and patient.

But this man S. refuses help. He harasses, assaults, and craftily runs away.

I want there to be a record

I don't want to end up stabbed, assaulted, dead.