It’s dark and I’m parked in an alley near a lopsided compost bin. I have a notepad, binoculars and a lukewarm cup of coffee — everything needed for a successful stakeout. I am waiting for them. They appear approximately one hour before dawn, skittering from dumpster to dumpster along old paths they have worn down with time. I am trying to track their movements, to understand how far they go and how often. But it’s clear to me that the traditional detective approach isn’t going to work. There are too many and they move in places where I can’t follow.…

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