I shot this beautiful homeless girl in the Tenderloin at noon on a hot day. There was a chaotic scene around her, but I had to get her picture. Not sure why. She was very demanding and aggressive, but we got along. There was this instant and wily simpatico between us. In a different life, and not on that street corner, she and I would have been friends. As I was making my way down the block, one of the people she was with sent her after me to steal my camera. I could hear it. She ran towards me. I turned and looked her straight in the eye. It was clear that she didn't want our interaction to end that way. She stopped short as I asked her name. She responded by telling me that I was going to need to give her something and then proceeded to tell me why. Pressing herself against me, she whispered in my ear the things she has to do to survive. It was as if a young child was telling me a secret. Vulnerable tones in her voice explained filthy realities. There was no reason for her to tell me those things. I gave her a few dollars and she let me go. She just stood stiffly on the sidewalk and watched me walk away. I miss her.
