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JULY 10, 2026 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR Out on a limb “Out on a limb” refers to risk-takers, but also those going after the fruit. Once the low-hanging fruit is gone, you have to go out on a limb to harvest. Egocentric living takes Wayne Sparks, vendor No. 615 In one sentence, who are you? The grandfather of what was, the keeper of plenty of secrets in Ann Arbor about the streets. Where do you usually sell Groundcover? All over town! I like mingling with a wide variety of customers — the staff at Zingerman’s, on campus, and just on the streets! When and why did you start selling Groundcover? The first time I sold a street paper was in the 60s. This is my second go around. I know, it's kind of confusing, right? What is one place in Ann Arbor that feels like your own personal sanctuary? The Arb. What’s your life motto? Power to the People. What advice would you give to your younger self? Everything that glitters is not gold. What is your comfort food? Ice cream. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring three things, what would they be? Writing material, plenty of videos, and all my favorite food and drink. If there was a theme song for your life, what would it be? Cat Stevens, "Wild World." If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Katmandu. What is the weirdest food combo you swear by? Peanut butter and cheese. What change would you like to see in Washtenaw County? Build a new transit system. What’s one question you wished you were asked more often? How do we end homelessness? you far out on a limb every day. Ego makes plans as if it is the master of the universe no matter how many times this illusion is exposed. For those of us on the path of healing, it may seem dangerous to fully detach from ego fixation. Ego got us this far and to live ego-free really feels like going out on a limb. As the branch bends and sways, the fruit may drop to the ground and you can be stuck trying to find your way down. Squirrels easily jump from branch to branch, but human life is a bit more risky especially if you are on an emotional branch far from the trunk. Our emotional habits and addiction to sensation often lead us on a wild goose chase as we seek to find happiness in the chaos of samsara, Sanskrit for the cycle of birth and death.The ego assumption that we are masters of reality is never proven, as unexpected consequences are more the rule than the exception of life. As the sole responsible person for a contracting company after my dad died, I once worked up to one hundred hours a week for some months, too busy to take a good look at accounts receivable and accounts payable. Eventually I discovered that I was up to $40,000 in the hole. It was a Courtyard by Marriott project and I was making payroll but behind on withholding to the IRS, not to mention suppliers. The last bill I paid off was $10,000 for wallpaper paste. I was honorbound to that supplier. The IRS was the biggest debt — interest and penalties can dwarf the original bill — and negotiations get wicked. In an interview with Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, a trusted spiritual friend and Abbot of the Karma Kagyu monastery in Woodstock, New York, I said, “You would think that if you worked hard, at least some of your expectations would be met.” He looked at me and said calmly, “Of all the causes of events, your expectations are a drop in the ocean.” The truth is always obvious, but that does not mean we will see it. We need those who can point the way. Social media is full of opportunities to go out on a limb. The lure of intimate happiness is so tempting, especially in detailed chats, juicy or not, that look like a convergence of values and plans to follow up. So I went out on a limb and accepted an invitation to Manhattan in early June. I was so looking forward to our planned trip to the monastery in Woodstock, New York. When I got to La Guardia Airport, the chat had stopped and she did not show up to get me. She knew that my Avalon Housing check for rent overpayment did not come in time, another chapter in the book, so I was arriving with little money. No return ticket. I may never know what happened, but the limb bent and swayed. My core community warned me that my chat KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 looked like a scam, but I did not want to waste my ticket and hoped we had a workable relationship. Groundcover friends grabbed the bull by the horns and got me a return ticket for 7:15 the next morning. My experience of being broke and homeless in New York was short. Sleeping on an airport floor is not sweet. I found a column with an outlet where I could rest and charge my phone. It had charged when it was time to go through TSA, who brought out the dogs to sniff us in a special line, but I forgot my charger which was brand new at a $40 cost. I hope someone in need got it! In the 1950s, I loved to climb trees because they welcomed me and I felt safer up high than among humans. Bullying is so deep in the culture that we take it for granted. The subtle forms of one-upmanship may do more damage than the violent expressions. When you realize you have low status, you may go out on many limbs to prove your worth. It is not a fun way to live. Your worth cannot be proven, but it can be accepted. It is our birthright, often lost in childhood as we are socialized into compliance culture which is based on a chain of command structure. I never read “Catch 22,” but the phrase is in the language and refers to the bureaucratic dilemma of our time.The fact that you applied is the basis for denial of the request. The culture puts you out on a limb regularly and you cannot be surprised if you are suddenly homeless or ill and your life appears to be over. There is the possibility of finally getting grounded when you hit bottom and you learn to quit digging a deeper hole. No matter who and where you are, we are always surrounded by reality as mentioned in the June 12 Groundcover News article “Facing Reality” on page 10. The error of dualism is so common that we easily forget the truth. Dualism is a way of thinking that divides reality into two parts, the most common being self and other. The error of this view becomes apparent when we glimpse even the shortest experience of the primordial expanse, best described as the all good expanse of primordial purity or the Clear Light of the Void — the phrase I first saw in The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This is a limb worth going out on. Assumptions matter, so look for the best one. The mystery of death can be an adventure. Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on, as in the great song of the civil rights movement. The freedom that benefits all beings without exception is the best branch to go out on. Every mistake can be abandoned and the turn to freedom will bless you on your path. Listen to Maddy Ringo as she sings, “Going Up The Mountain.” About the cover: This year's Community Arts Edition cover was once again collaboratively painted by Groundcover News vendors, organized by Cindy Gere, vendor No. 279! GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3

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