Eugene is generally known for its extensive drug use, and while I was walking downtown today I stopped at an intersection and was waiting at a light next to a juice bar. Across the street this poor soul who looked like he was having a rough go was wailing while he stood with his back against the traffic light pole. He was around 30 or so, rather scruffy looking, and seemed that he hadn’t washed or had the heart to shave in a few days. I would say he was either on drugs or seriously unstable emotionally. So the light turned green and as I approached him to pass and continue on he started wailing and screaming again and shouted at me, “If I had strength like you had hair I might be somebody!!” I almost burst out laughing and immediately felt guilty for it. So though I was anticipating him to snap and start stabbing people randomly in a crazed fit I told him, “Everybody is a somebody.” He sort of stopped wailing for a moment and I wasn’t sure if he heard me, so I continued walking past him. The silence was rather peaceful for around two seconds, but apparently what I said was the equivalent of telling the sod that his grandmother had died so he started wailing, screaming and moaning even louder. There’s a café above the fit club and the people enjoying lunch on the roof were all staring down at this rather distracting event. The cops came around a minute or so later. Anyway, random story. I just found it fascinating that whatever had him so miserable, he was still regardless relatively impressive with the improvisational humor.