As a young man I was borderline homeless, living on a boat I worked on in Oakland. In the winter, it got cold. The guy who owned it was tight for money, so at times I went hungry until I was paid. So I hung out at a local Sambo’s Restaurant, where the room had heat and coffee was 10 cents. Learned a lot about people at that counter.
Yours sounds like a fascinating story.
You must have been close to Jack London Square if you were hanging out at the Sambo’s I’m recalling....