STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA

John Thomas Tuft
Nov 1 · 4 min read

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA

By John Thomas Tuft

Once upon a time, on a lovely Saturday autumn morning, I stepped out of my hotel in Center City, Philadelphia, turned left and headed for Rittenhouse Square. “Mister, hey Mister!” I looked around for the source of this small, shrill voice. “Mister. Down here. Hey, Mister. Whatcha doin’? Where ya goin’?” I looked down. There among the ever more common collection of homeless humans sat a waifish girl of about 9, lanky brown hair below her shoulders, wearing the simple, broadcloth smock of the Plain People. “Mama says I…

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