Chapter 2

You whip open the door to McDonald's and nip inside, welcoming the warmth and the unmistakable aroma of mystery meat and bubbling fryer oil. It is surprisingly quiet for a Saturday, perhaps other people have stayed at home because of the weather reports of a storm moving in overnight. Too bad you don't watch the Weather Network...

The few patrons in the restaurant include a gaggle of teenaged girls laughing loudly and a rather rotund (or Rob Ford-esque, if you will) gentleman sitting alone in front of a veritable feast of fast food. You hurriedly order your Big Mac and fries from the sour-faced McDonald's employee and rush back out into the street.

At the bus stop you check your watch, you still have a couple minutes before the bus arrives. A bitter wind is blowing down Yonge and the temperature is quickly dropping. You seek relief from the elements inside a nearby bus shelter. The shelter smells of urine and half of it is filled with a heaping mound of garbage. You cough, and stomp your feet to stay warm. You open up your McDonalds bag and begin to munch on the french fries.

Suddenly the shelter begins to shake and rumble. The pile of garbage starts to shift, then slowly rises up. You've disturbed Hobo Joe! "graaaggghhhrrrr!" You stumble backwards clutching your takeout to your chest in fear. Through the darkness you can see the glow of his cold grey eyes. He gnashes his teeth together and sends out clouds of hot stinking breath into the cold air. His black hair is matted thick to his head and his face is smeared with grime. He begins to reach out an arm towards you, his weathered hands are tipped with long yellowed fingernails which look like the talons of a vulture.

You look up from this horrible scene and spot your bus coming up to the lights. You,

a) run for it!
b) give the homeless man your McDonalds
c) give the homeless man your hat and mittens, its cold tonight!


(http://www.toronto.ca/housing/needhelp.htm << for more information on help for the homeless in Toronto)