Visions on my way to work

I took the 2 Clement to work today, and while cruising down Post Street at Leavenworth, I was struck by two scenes within one block: First, I noticed a window in a sooty apartment building, that was propped open with a can of Raid. Immediately after that, my eyes focused on two trannies rummaging through their car trunk, tossing wig after wig aside. Not drag queens folks, but cracked-out at 9am, I'm-for-hire trannies. Strange, this was actually a couple blocks north of the true Tenderloin.

This reminded me of a night in the 'Loin when I was standing outside the Edinburgh Castle making a phone call before pub quiz. In the span of no more than 10 minutes, the following occurred:

• hustled for cigarettes, 4 times
• grimaced at for not having cigarettes, 4 times
• watched someone grab cigarette butt out of the gutter and try to smoke it, 1 time
• leered at by nasty men, 3 times
• offered drugs, 1 time
• offered an array of fake Rolex's by guy with a grill, 1 time

Awesome.

This euphemistic description of the 'Loin is offered by Only In San Francisco- The Official Visitors Site for San Francisco:

Thousands originally from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have given the Tenderloin, a 20-square-block district west of Union Square new life. A landmark church, an experimental theatre house, jazz and blues clubs, restaurants and cafes point to a neighborhood renaissance.

Double awesome.