Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

On Wednesday during lunch, I was strolling down Market Street carrying a bag of assorted and sundry goods from Whole Foods, including organic taco shells, Clover Stornetta sour cream, and a quart of milk---in a glass jug!---from Straus Family Creamery (Arethusa, I hear you. I grew up on Hamburger Helper and fast food, but I'm trying.)

As is often the case on Market, I passed many homeless people holding cardboard signs. For the most part, the faces were familiar, as were the written messages. There was some guilt. When you're carrying designer milk and walking past folks who may not know where their next meal is coming from, it's hard not to feel like a dirty yuppie. Anyway, one of the guys sitting on the street seemed a little off to me---he was too young, too blond, too freshly scrubbed. We locked eyes briefly and I felt compelled to read his cardboard sign. In neat lettering, with a ballpoint pen, he had written the following:

"I NEED A GIRLFRIEND."

I had to smile. And at first I thought,"Wow, that's pretty high up there on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." But that would only be true if he was genuinely seeking "love and affection." If his intentions were more, um, carnally inclined, then that's way down there at the base of the hierarchy, with food and shelter.

Hope all of y'all are getting your needs met way up at the tippy-top of the triangle.