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11/13/11


"Yo, man, that's a nice tent. How many people are going to be in there?"

"Just me, Sir. For now."

"How much did you pay for this tent?"

"It's my dad's tent. He bought it for $35. Way back, when the economy was still good!"

"You can't even get a good sleeping bag now for that price... Are you from Philly?"

"No, Sir."

"Where are you from?"

"Hatfield."

"Hatfield? Where is that?"

"It's an hour from Philly."

"Humm. How long are you going to stay here."

"A week. A week, then I'll go back to see my dad and my dog, then I'll come back."

"See your what?" I thought he had said "my daughter."

"My dad and my dog."

Joe is 21. I was struck by the fact that he called me "Sir" twice. That kind of courtesy is certainly rare these days.







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