It seems a good place to put the first dollar of the new decade.

RS has sent a New Year's note, and I don't think he'll mind if I post it here.  Old people might remember RS as the Ralph Nader look-alike back in Stumpy's blogs of '01.

I've seen him around the neighborhood for years with his street weary boxes of candies and his wind burnished face, enduring.  On occasion I have put coins in his can, more often I give him a passing glance and brush on. This morning out walking into the fatigue and guarded elation of a new year I pass him sitting in front of starbucks in his big rolling chair, quiet with his candy, seemingly as dazed and determined as me about this new day. Ten yards past, I stop, turn back and approach him.

He looks down, roots around his crumpled box and extracts a tattered bag of candy and hands it to me in exchange. I stand still, he tilts his head up and croaks ... happy ... new .... year. 

Then he extends his fist slowly over his chair's arm seeking my fist. 

It seems a good place to put the first dollar of the new decade.