I have been a rather surreal week. The more conscious I become, the more the world seems like a big dream - but still FEELS real.

[To the left is the Lake Street/Midtown Station along the Hiwatha Light-rail route]

1)

I just went to Rainbow with Josiah. Rainbow is right across the street from what we lovingly called "Ghetto Cub." I used to joke that I loved my Ghetoo Cub. Anyways, I have never been to Rainbow at that location - and Brandy telling me that it was WORSE than Cub scared me from doing so. But I checked the advertisments in the Star Tribune Sunday paper - and neither competing stores seemed to have good ads. So I figured it was a good time to check out what could have been called "Ghetto Rainbow" - except it doesn't have that ring to it like "Ghetto Cub" has. BOY was I wrong.

This Rainbow store had the exterior appearance of a newer store - and the interior of a possibly brand-new store - if not kept up very well! It was like Rainbow had tried to makeover their store to copy both The Wedge ( where I usually shop) and Wal-Mart ( where I NEVER shop). Upon entering the store there was a greeter - who was not very perky - but nonetheless gave the appearance that the store had a more helpful attitude. The store was clean, neat, well-stocked, and had quality food - apart from not being 100% organic. Before I left the store I had 4 employees ask if I needed help finding anything - obviously a new tactic by their management but still effective if used even occasionally per visit.

Anyways, this is no advertisement - it just astounded me the contrast between my expectations and reality. I have no qualms shopping at a poorly run store - as most products overall are still decent - though I would question buying fresh/unprocessed products there - which is why I go the Wedge. ( and supporting local organizations versus multinational)
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2)

But this is not the end of my trip. Here I was going back home with Josiah and 4 bags full of groceries. It was tough enough getting to the light-rail station - controlling Siah and managing the bags. But when I got there an African American came up to me with a blind woman who was a little older than myself. She looked like she had been weeping and was obviously upset. I was asked to help her got on the train - which I accepted being uncontested by others willing to ( including the man leaving her).

I never got her name - but she said she had not used the light-rail ever. She just needed to get to a place on Nicollet Avenue a block from the Hiawatha stop. Anyways, I had a hard time getting her on the train as it was a "short one" - being only a couple cars. We had a little walk once it arrived - and Josiah just runs ahead and gets onboard. And here I am trying to lead this lady on - though she is using her walking stick - she underestimates the distance a bit. I then drop my bags by the door and assist her up the steps. Speaking to a few of the other passengers I found someone who could help her once the train arrived at Nicollet as I had to leave with Siah at the next stop.

I have to admit we Minnesotans will try to help others as mush as we can. I would have helped her entirely had I had not had 4 bags of groceries and Josiah. I also needed to make Siah's lunch and get ready for work - leave at around 1 PM. So....time was short but not impossible. It WOULD have been impossible to do with Siah - so I am glad I found others to help.
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The other odd events of the week have been:

- helping a girl (Rachel or Ra-Ra) coming down from a crack high retrieve a car she "thought" was stopped in an intersection and out of gas. I didn't find out the story until I got her a cigerette from a neighbor and some food leftovers from our fridge ( not bad ones either - as they would have been my work-lunch). Turns out the car was parked and that refilling a vehicle with gas isn't always easy. I wouldn't have helped her but the car wasn't hers - it was a friend's and I am crazy in helping others.

I didn't know initially she was on crack - or some other drug. She didn't twitch or have a weird personality. She just seemed stressed and tired - and was WAY too trusting of me to go into my apartment even when I said she didn't have to. But when she drove me home and started smoking out of a glass pipe - yeah - kinda gives it away. I asked to be promptly dropped off at my place - which I was after a drive that seemed a bit out of whack. She started getting paranoid just as we pulled up to my place - glad I left as quick as I could. I hate drug users and did mention that they weren't going to help her - drugs OR alcohol ( which she wanted from me initially also).

- I also witnessed 2 individuals in my building having sex in our basement. Yeah, at first I was scared it was rape - you can't really tell a moan from a cry sometimes. But I guess they were neighbors who had just met at a party and decided they would just go for it - oddly enough - on the concrete floor of the lower level. Weird how alcohol can inhibit the cognitive abilities of the human brain when consumed in large quantities?

Anyways, I have no doubts that reality will become only more surreal each coming year. Just with everything odd thus far that I have run into - I hope I am not involved in anything too serious. ( gun shootings are not my forte)