why I need a camera phone

OR

it's amazing how much the scenery changes just by crossing the street for lunch.

[aside: Alas, a blog is up and running. Phew! See previous post if this makes no sense]

I ate lunch on the north side of the street today. Normally, the coffee shops/restaurants I frequent are on south side, but today I thought I'd try Steamrollers - but to do so, I had to cross the street. That put me next to Blenz (aka the Other Coffee Place) instead of Starbucks [you really don't need a link to that, too, do you??] and into a whole new world of people watching.

While nibbling through my burrito, I was able to pass the time decoding the many large tattoos of the shirtless fellow hanging outside the coffee shop. He had an upper-arm spider, a shoulder crest of some sort and several more areas of ink on both arms and his right leg. I tried to decode as much as possible, but it's not like I could flat-out stare. He was sporting low-slung skater-esque shredded shorts, a substantial chain that kept his belt loop attached to his pocket (I've never really understood those) and he was crowned with a wavy blond mohawk.

But there was one more bit that made the whole moment photo-worthy. He was standing outside, waiting in the sun, rocking a rather high-end, conservative baby stroller, complete with a baby sleeping in a little pink outfit. And he was damned proud.

Were that not enough to keep me amused for the afternoon, I walked outside after my lunch and continued down the south side of the street past a street-sitter/pan-handler. This, in and of itself is not unusual. There is always at least one street-sitter here, if not with a small stack of free newsletters, then with a scruffy dog and blanket. Today, however, the street-sitter had a cardboard sign resting in front of a shiny red plastic hamster cage. Inside, were three chubby, content, tan-coloured rats.

I really, really need a camera phone.

It's not like I could stop and stare - that's just rude. But, I could take a photo. I could even ask first if anyone minds if I take a photo.

I really, really need a camera phone. Or a bigger purse with better camera and the justification, as a nine-to-fiver on my lunch break, for carrying it.