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The man is 43 and goes by "Casper." The woman is Cynthia. Fifty years old and a deaf mute, she was laughing constantly while gesticulating. "Is she always this happy?" I asked. "Yeah, most of the time," he answered. Later, as we were walking to the Cathedral homeless mission for dinner, Cynthia got pissed off at a passing cop car, however, and was yakking and yelping in its direction. Casper used to be a septic tank technician. "I'm a country boy," he said, though he'd been in Camden for a while. Cynthia is a lifelong resident. "Make sure you get my earring," Casper requested as I snapped. Saying goodbye, they gave me a hug as Casper said, "One love," but when I gave his girl one-too-many pecks on the cheek, he blurted, "Watch it!" They don't plan on staying in tent city past this winter. With the leaves gone, that place is quite dismal.



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