after the meeting....

it happened! What do I mean. Well, on the next block over from 24th street there sits a Greek Diner, one that has been there for many years. Sometimes I go in there after the BAN meetings and order coffee and a cheese danish. Yesterday, I was pleased that instead of the danish, I ordered a cantelope.
Not a great cantelope by any means, but it kept me whole. Then the check came. UNBELIEVABLE! For a coffee and cantelope, after tax, before the tip, the cost: $8.40. Come on! Plus I had to leave a dollar tip. That is $9.40 for those two objects. I was very nice about paying it, but inside, I was enraged  Where are we going with this? Must I expect to pay $13.00 for the same thing in four or five years? I understand that the diner has probably absorbed several rent increases, and since there is no commercial rent control, they are probably at the mercy of the "benevolence" of their landlord. But even so, $9.40? We must have some form of commercial rent control---how can you get homeless people out of the shelters and into subsidized apartments and keep them solvent when the cost of goods and services keeps going up. And what about all of those families and individuals on fixed income. Okay so I learned my lesson--I will avoid that place from now on---but for God's sake!

I wanted to post this on facebook, but I did not.Why? Concerned that my statements would be too confronting, that people would withdraw? Well, there is still plenty of time for that.

the BAN meeting was productive---some newcomers were absorbed nicely into the normal group. They seemed to want to participate. Today I will go to JACK to participate in the Reparations series that they are sponsoring. Looking forward to it. Not much else to say---will report tomorrow on the night at Jack and its surrounding environs.