Exit Ramp

Today's lesson in photojournalistic irony takes us to the Culver Blvd. exit off the Marina Freeway.

There, we can see a homeless man plying his wares, oblivious to the sign in front of them that correctly indicates, "this is the Wrong Way to go about life."

I've been meaning to get this juxtaposition on film for the longest time but it always meant getting the timing right at the red light. You know how I despise people on the cellphones in their cars.

The picture quality isn't that good.
But then, this is an Internet blog it doesn't have to be.

I suppose the clarity would have been significantly better had I purchased the new iPhone 5S with the 8 megapixel camera, but my current iPhone is working fine so I decided not to spend the money.

It's those kind of little decisions, like the decision to get an education, to take shitty jobs I didn't care for, to stash some money away for a rainy day, to make sacrifices and put other's needs in front of mine, that make all the difference in the world.

These are the decisions this chap didn't make.

I don't mean to sound cold-hearted, but this is not the first time I have seen this professional leech.

I've also run across him on the nearby Ballona Creek Bike Path. Smoking ciggies and sipping a Tall Boy of Bud Light at the bright hour of 9 AM on a Sunday morning. Of course that's not an ideal time to be pounding the pavement looking for a job, but I suspect he was doing the exact same thing on Monday morning. Tuesday morning. Wednesday morning. And so on.

Bad decisions.

Clearly the guy has some sign-holding, corner-standing skills. So why not contribute to society and get a paying job for doing the exact same thing:

He might even get medical benefits. Which could help cover the cost of his imminent emphysema and cirrhosis. Oh I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't make that kind of broad generalization.

Maybe he won't get cirrhosis, after all, he was drinking a light beer.