Homeless in Santa Monica

She talks of meals distributed to the homeless. I would like to tell about my meal in an emergency ward recently at Los Angeles County Medical Center. It was symbolic, for I had no money or insurance to pay the bills. I was accepted for surgery and in line with other casualties of living.

This is the precious processing of poor patients by dedicated professionals, using their skills to stitch and mend our broken bodies. Nurses would brighten up blank stares, then take on a surge of questions that the doctor would scratch his head over. So much activity! Computers say input, output and processed patient; but my God, so many hundreds of people moving to enrich life.

JOHN WARREN

Los Angeles