What is the difference between a co-worker and a homeless person?

For those unfamiliar with the co-working trend, one leases a “seat” in an open space.  Not a specific seat, just the right to sit at any single open seat of their choice.  The environment does not persist from day to day.  At some point during the night, anything left out is removed by housekeeping and the environment is re-initialized for the morning.  The net result of this is that a co-worker necessarily must pack in all their stuff for the day and pack it back home each and every day.  Co-working is a popular choice for techie types who need little more than a computer and a network connection to do their work.
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</div><div>This morning my usual zombie-like shlep from the parking lot to the American Underground @Main was interrupted by a chance encounter.  As I entered the sidewalk, another person entered from across the street and formed up along side me.</div><div>
</div><div>“Good morning.”  “Good morning.” I replied.</div><div>
</div><div>I awaited the inevitable request for money that normally follows engaging a poorly groomed person carrying a large backpack with various items hung and lashed to outside of an overstuffed pack on the street in Downtown Durham.  But no request was forthcoming.</div><div>
</div><div>I looked at the ground.  Our two shadows marched down Main St. in the low morning sun like two through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail.</div><div>
</div><div>I looked in a shop window.  My reflection looked back at me.  Bed head, water bottle hung from a carabiner, lunch bag hung from a second carabiner, overstuffed backpack containing all the contents of a small office.</div><div>
</div><div>We arrived at the American Underground.  I opened the door.  “You coming in?” “No.” he replied with a shake of the head as he continued east on Main St.  Probably headed to Bull City Co-working.











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