In a way, I feel a bit possessive of it still. Like it's my home. especially the places around the square that I once slept. The nighttime atmosphere there is so different. The students and local people are at home fast asleep and everyone in the homeless community comes out to pick their spots and settle down for the night.

I was walking through Harvard Square the other night at 1am and watched as my friends made their way through the square sleeping bags and blankets in tow to go to their spot for the night. That was life as I knew it a year ago. The square is so peaceful at night so I went for a middle of the night walk at around 3:30am back to the square to sit and think. As hard as it was, there is a lot I do miss about being homeless.

Especially the community aspect. In many ways it was like Co-Op living- just outdoors- where everyone worked together to survive. Even in the cold, theres something peaceful about laying on the sidewalk or in a doorway or alley somewhere looking at the moon and stars and talking with the person next to you until you fall asleep.

It was probably around 30 degrees as I sat outside the other night. I slept outside when it was much colder than that, so 30 degrees didn't seem bad.

I sat and talked for a bit with an older guy I used to stay with. He decided to go back to sleep for a few more hours so I went for a walk around the square absorbing all the memories of life on the streets. I had my camera on me as usual so I decided to take some pictures to share. *Bottom of the first set of escalators into the station.

I often loitered down here with my friends in bad weather. We'd go sit there to warm up in the winter, and then go back outside for a bit til we got really cold again. That way we wouldn't get yelled at for loitering too long.

Oh, by the way. If you go through Harvard Square don't touch the handrails to the first "down" escalator. I know a guy who pees on it daily.

*Across from "The Pit" is the Harvard Coop. During the day, there are book carts in the entry area. At around midnight, it turns into a outdoor shelter for the homeless. Typically 4-8 people sleep here each night. They park their carts, roll out their sleeping bags and go to sleep. I slept here several nights when the Tannery was "taken."