I Love Downtown

AUGUSTA, GA. - Since the Metro Spirit moved from Russell Street to Broad Street, there have been some disadvantages. Panhandlers hit us up regularly, until they got to know us. My car's been broken into once, and someone scraped the side of it with their car and drove off. At least, that's what I think. Scott still thinks I did it and won't tell him. It's easy as crud to spend too much money on lunches from the fab restaurants within walking distance (Nacho Mamas! You're mine at noon today!).

But the advantages far outweigh any inconveniences we've experienced. The Augusta government building is two blocks away. The restaurants in the area ARE fab (just ask my butt). And the parade of interesting stories that march in off the street have been a boon to our news department.

But mostly, it's the crazy people who have brought the most joy.

I walked into the office today to find 1/3 of the graphics dept. and 1/2 of the ad dept. watching out the front window.

"What's going on?" I asked.
Jason was practically jumping with glee.
"Oh, you're missing it! This woman, she's been doing this thing for 20 minutes," he pointed out the window.


There was a woman by the newspaper boxes, going through her purse.

"She's got all this stuff in there, like big bags of hair doo-dads like you and I might carry [we both have daughters], and like six hairbrushes and Jimmy Hoffa and Brilcreme..." he trails off, watching her.
"She's got bags within that bag," Erin says.
"Is that a bank bag?!" I ask, watching her zipping up a leather pouch.
"Yeah, but there's other bags within that bag," Erin said.
"And then she got all the way to the bottom, and shook it out and pulled out, like, one quarter, as though she'd been searching for this the whole time, and put it in the Chronicle's newspaper box, pulled out a newspaper, laid it on top of the box, and starting organizing the stuff again," Jason said.
"The Spirit is free," Erin said.
We watched her folding socks for a while.




"I'm getting my camera," I said.
"Hurry!" Erin called after me.
I snap a few shots.
"I wanna go pose with her," Jason said.
Go! Go! Go! We chant.
I toss a leftover Christmas bow at him. "Toss this in the garbage can!"
"I need that!" Erin says.
"No you don't!"
He slips out the door and walks over to the corner...

(Note the giant orange bow in his hand.)

She never even looked up.