Invisible Multitude:
William 'Bill' Barrow and his companion Trixie are just two statistics—two of the many homeless living on the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. Bill relies heavily upon the goodwill of others to eke out a daily living. A veteran of the troubles in Northern Ireland, and the Falklands War, Bill served 12-years with the British Army until he received a termination of his contract (early retirement). Unknown to Bill at the time, he failed to meet a new army 'time served' policy—implemented by the British Government to save money on long-term pensions by weeding-out all those who had not attained a particular rank by a given date in their career. After forced retirement, a combination of alcoholism and a lack of employment forced Bill onto the streets. I bought Bill two Big Mac's and six tins of Carlsberg Special Brew. Some have questioned my reasoning behind purchasing beer for an alcoholic. Why not! Bill is a confessed addict, and due to his circumstances—he admits he will never change! For that short time—it made him happy! Bill explained, while drinking beer and feeding burgers to his dog, "I drank my army medals a long time ago; I now sit here invisible to many, begging from tourists to feed my dog. I expect to spend the rest of my life on the streets."
