Reply #5: Last year on the Fourth of July

[RagingInMiami]

I headed out to under the McCarthur Causeway, the bridge that leads from the City of Miami to Miami Beach, where every year, hundreds of people go to watch the fireworks over the Miami skyline.

It is also where numerous homeless people live. They sleep on the rock cliff under the bridge. Every night. At least 20. Usually many more.

I go out there a lot to take photos so I always seem them. Sometimes I talk to them. They mostly keep to themselves. It's a very peaceful area admidst the insanity of Miami.

As far as homeless areas go, it's not bad. They have a seabreeze and a skyline view that is usually never crowded. But hundreds show up on those special fireworks occasions, like the Fourth of July and on New Years Eve.

So I ended up making a bunch of Mexican-style, bacon-wrapped hot dogs wrapped in tortillas, with some deli mustard and chopped onions.

Then I wrapped the hot dogs in tin foil to keep them warm and headed out to under the bridge, buying a 12-pack of beer along the way. When I got there, I gave them each a beer and a hot dog. There was just enough to go around.

The first guy asked, "What happened, did somebody not show up to the party?"

And I said, "No, I made these for you guys. It's the least I could do for the Fourth of July."

After all, many of these guys are veterans.

And they were so touched. They couldn't believe it. It really made my day.

Then they insisted that I put on some of their OFF, that spray you use to keep the mosquitos off. The mosquitos were pretty vicious that day. I'm glad they had that because I wasn't prepared.

Here is a picture from that area. It's called Watson Island. This is from New Year's Eve.