[cstaylor]

Well, the few homeless people I've met on the train (Kannai has a sizeable population down near the police station) have been very interesting. One man with no teeth (?!?) spoke proficient English... so the "that could be me" is probably not far from the truth.

Now back in California, the few homeless I ran across were usually of the mentally unstable nature. Perhaps the smarter ones stayed at the local mission?

[gomichild]

Not a surprise considering how hard it can be to get an apartment here.

[gomichild]

Wouldn't work here - don't they tend to explode?

[Taro Toporific]

"The Japanese are starting to say, 'Tomorrow that could be me.'"

aki no kaze yado nashi karasu fukare keri

in autumn wind
a homeless crow
is blown

the poet, Issa, 1790s
Who wrote haiku while he was homeless for most of his life.

[kamome]

Actually, in Japan I have met a number of really sharp homeless people. Including one guy who looked absolutely nuts when he rolled up to me in a Yoshinoya in near Kannai station. He spoke almost flawless English. Actually, some of the smartest people I have met in my life have been Japanese "losers." Not a forgiving country in that regard.

This is very true. The smart ones who speak good English or who just excel beyond their peers are marginalized. I see this phenomenon everyday at my company.