Homeless Survey

"LB survey gives homeless a face" is the front page above the fold headline from Press-Telegram's July 23, 2009 issue. To the left of the article is a face shot of Rose, age 60, homeless on and off since 1992. To the right is a photo of one of the 90 volunteers that participated in taking the homeless survey, Paul Farace. Paul is leaning forward to look at survey being filled out by Nicholas Torregrossa. The Los Angeles river is visible where Paul and Nicholas stand. There are two more photos on page 7 where article continues from the front page. One of the two has a profile of another homeless cat, cut off at the top his head speaking to another volunteer.

I do not know the three from my days on the streets. I do know the name Torregrossa, but the person who goes with the name is lost in memory land. One of the volunteers, unnamed in photo caption, looks familiar. The volunteers surveyed 270 homeless "by 8 A.M. Wednesday on the second day of this three-day survey."

I think the P-T missed a great opportunity to give residents a close-up look at Long Beach's homeless citizens. Each participant in the survey had to consent to having their photograph taken. And published, I imagine. Rose's face is unwrinkled; she does not have that weather-beaten look many homeless acquire being outdoors the better part of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What is her beauty secret? Mary Kay facials on the streets? On and off the streets for 17 years, Rose must have even more stories to tell than I do! Who is she? Was she born/raised in Long Beach, how did she become homeless, where did she stay when off the streets, family...?
The article was less about the homeless and more about the reason for the survey, which I had read about previously. Of course, that is the nature of newsarticles. Others may not have read the prior articles and info has to be repeated. Staff Writer, Greg Mellen, did a nice job with the first paragraph. Good writing. Engaged the reader. Because I write, I read a lot of stuff about How To Write, in an effort to improve my own.

"I'm romantic," he said.

"I'm not," I replied. "I'm analytical."

"Analysis has a tendency to wear away the feelings." "Better to admire a rose than put it's roots under a microscope." Two quotes, from memory, from my old quote collection. Authors names long erased from my brain.

So, yes, I critique. A full page of homeless faces with a little blurb about each would engage this P-T reader.