Interesting street stories in exchange for a few free beers.

Amsterdam.

I take my free coffee to drink it outside despite the cold. There are just too many people inside the Schakel, too many smells, odours, and sounds that come with ths sort of visitors a place like the Schakel attracts. It`s after all a homeless centre.

People sit at tables coats covering their heads, bend forward on their chairs, sometimes swept all over the table trying to nap a bit after a night of being on the move.

You can`t sleep outside in Amsterdam. Cops on motorbike will keep sending you around, they find you asleep on a park bench and a fine will come your way. They don`t need your name any more, they know it by heart, dozens of tickets have been written out by these leather clad motorbike cops, they know their customers.

Sitting outside on the steps of the Schakel in the biting cold, my hands clasped tightly around my free cup of hot coffee, I can only feel happy this sort of stressfull life hasn`t come my way as yet. Only 19 years left untill my pension, I should be able to sit that out.

A few days ago Rob came over to say goodbey informing me he`ll spend X-mas and the New Year`s celebration with his folks in the south. Good for him!!! Needless to say that that Little Shit Richard was with him as well hoping for a fee beer.
Now the free Spaarndammer street bar might have officially closed down but occasionally is sort of ajar for Rob only, and because of the upcoming festivities I decided to let Richard in as well and let them have a free beer, right out of my frigo so cold to the touch.

Poor Ali having been jonased out of Harry`s house, thrown down the stairs, bottles of beer and an old bicycle dragged down to the street for possible selling while stupid coke smoker Harry was comatose on his bed due to a whole river of stale beer, tabacco, joints and basing coke.

He`ll be in for a nice surprise by the time he wakes up. His tabacco gone, no more Mary Jane, a bike that no doubt belongs to one of his many street contacts, one of his drinking buddies or else coke smoking pals dragged down the stairs and sold on the spot for 10 Euro to a passer-by, stale beer left in half empty cans or bottles having gone down Rob`s and Richard`s thirsty alcoholic throats.

Interesting street stories in exchange for a few free beers.