I went to RIS pharmacy* (really incompetent staff) where the customer service is deplorable. I purchased a candy bar and a coffee and then I handed them my food stamp card. "You do take food stamps, don't you?"
"I don't know, let me ask Barb*, my co-worker!"
"Barb, do we take food stamps?"
"I don't know let me ask the shift supervisor!"
"No, we don't take food stamps she told me"
This doesn't sound right to me. I call 18005551212.
"I need the # for RIS pharmacy*" I said
"Did you say qpm farms?"
"No"
"OK, let's try again. Did you say walmart?"
"NO"
"I call 411" They give me the wrong phone # for RIS. I call 411 back again because I have no phone directory. I tell them which pharm I need, and they said there is no "RIS" in that town.
"Oh, I can assure you there is" "Why don't you just give me the # for any RIS in Baltimore"
They give me the # for the RIS in Baltimore City.
Me-"May I speak to a manager please?"
"He's unloading, can you hold?"
Yes. I waited about 4 minutes.
"This is the manager"
"Hi, I'm a customer of RIS, and I have a question. It's my understanding that all of the RIS's in America take food stamps, is that correct?"
"Yes, maam"
Elana-"That's what I thought, but the one in my neighborhood wouldn't take my food stamps.
"Maam, you need to complain to their district manager"
I didn't have a business card so I drove over there. There were no clerks at the register as usual. I hunted down two clerks in the aisles.
E_"Hi, Is the manager in?"
"No"
E-"I need a phone # for the manager please"
"oh, I don't know that phone number but she'll be in later."
E-"I need a phone # of some sort. How about a d.m."
"we don't have the phone # for the d.m."
This arguing back and forth went on for a while. they called someone else over. I told her very patiently that I need a phone # for the manager or the d.m. "Oh, well, we have lots of phone # 's here, let me see if i can find the right one. Here's the one for the manager"
I call the manager and she's not in. I call and talk to someone specifically in the pharmacy to get the # for d.m. They give me the # for the fire hall. This results in 3 more calls.
Next day I reach the d.m. She's very professional. She explains that there are only 2 ris's in carroll county that take food stamps, but would I like her to get the ball rolling and get my store specifically to take food stamps?
I said yes, that would be terrific!
She said, it will take a couple of months, but I will start the paperwork so your specific store will take food stamps. I'll call you back.
"No need to call me back, just pop me an email when my store starts taking food stamps and it would be appreciated."
Wow! All the red tape doesn't normally lead to any positive change, but for today at least I feel like I've made a difference.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
"Snyder's Auction-Have Gavel will Travel"
You think I'm making this stuff up don't you?! His real name is Homer W. Snyder. I was told that if I want to get a feel of real down home country culture, I'd have to go to the Snyder Auction! Outside, I asked a couple of guys where I should park. Seeing that I was alone, they began to playfully tease me.
Once indoors, one of the men asked, "Did you find a place to park?"
E-"Yes, but I broke the rules!" (I didn't really break the rules, just some playful ribbing on my part)
"Oh?" "And why did you do that? (he teased back) "Because you're a woman?!"
E-"No, because I'm a Snyder and I see your cousin got a real good seat" (I'm referring to a stuffed straw old man sitting in a rocking chair up in the rafters that looks like it was made 100 years ago!)
"That ain't my cousin. That's my brother!" "You see, I like to associate with folks in "high places!"
E-(Singing) "I got friends in low places, where the whiskey's dry and the oasis!"
The auction is ready to begin. I pop into the bathroom. It's flooded and I'm afraid to touch anything. This bldg. is sort of like a barn with aluminum siding, no air conditioning and sits amongst acres and acres of corn that is "as high as an elephant's eye!"
I try to flush the toilet with no success. A woman walks in and I say: I can't get the toilet flushed! She smiles and says "we been waitin' on the city for months to get that fixed!'
And a one budda one budda one budda one and do i have a 2. there's a 2 budda 2 budda 2 budda, there's 2.50!
The hall smells like a combo of body odor, mold mildew and dust from the quite amazing collection of everything from dolls to stamps to furniture to blankets. The auction assistant chirps that "these blankets and towel are very clean!"
Later she announces, "this, this item smells like your grandma's house! You know, mothballs!
I'm reminded of every closet in my parents home. Although they weren't grandparents, our house did smell like mothballs and I always liked the smell.
The auctioneer assistant, held a 6 month old baby up in the air and said:
'THIS IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE SNYDER FAMILY!"
The baby cried "waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" and the audience laughed out loud.
I didn't have any money to spend but remarkably one of my dream objects was up for auction. The entire set of bestselling "Queen" rock band music.
Hmmm. Think I'll come back for a visit soon. "Yall come back now. You hear?!"
Once indoors, one of the men asked, "Did you find a place to park?"
E-"Yes, but I broke the rules!" (I didn't really break the rules, just some playful ribbing on my part)
"Oh?" "And why did you do that? (he teased back) "Because you're a woman?!"
E-"No, because I'm a Snyder and I see your cousin got a real good seat" (I'm referring to a stuffed straw old man sitting in a rocking chair up in the rafters that looks like it was made 100 years ago!)
"That ain't my cousin. That's my brother!" "You see, I like to associate with folks in "high places!"
E-(Singing) "I got friends in low places, where the whiskey's dry and the oasis!"
The auction is ready to begin. I pop into the bathroom. It's flooded and I'm afraid to touch anything. This bldg. is sort of like a barn with aluminum siding, no air conditioning and sits amongst acres and acres of corn that is "as high as an elephant's eye!"
I try to flush the toilet with no success. A woman walks in and I say: I can't get the toilet flushed! She smiles and says "we been waitin' on the city for months to get that fixed!'
And a one budda one budda one budda one and do i have a 2. there's a 2 budda 2 budda 2 budda, there's 2.50!
The hall smells like a combo of body odor, mold mildew and dust from the quite amazing collection of everything from dolls to stamps to furniture to blankets. The auction assistant chirps that "these blankets and towel are very clean!"
Later she announces, "this, this item smells like your grandma's house! You know, mothballs!
I'm reminded of every closet in my parents home. Although they weren't grandparents, our house did smell like mothballs and I always liked the smell.
The auctioneer assistant, held a 6 month old baby up in the air and said:
'THIS IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE SNYDER FAMILY!"
The baby cried "waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" and the audience laughed out loud.
I didn't have any money to spend but remarkably one of my dream objects was up for auction. The entire set of bestselling "Queen" rock band music.
Hmmm. Think I'll come back for a visit soon. "Yall come back now. You hear?!"
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
"Looking back at Social Work School"
And I think it's darn interesting, because of the direction my life took. I was given this packet while working as a Homelessness Prevention Caseworker; 1.5 years before falling into "my own" never ending cycle of homelessness.
Initially, in the color black, I will type up the directory itself, as I received it in 1992. Manual updates that I made in my own handwriting over the years, I will include in different coloration to make it easier to distinguish.
A NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF STATEWIDE HOMELESS, HOUSING AND RURAL HOUSING COALITIONS AS WELL AS STATE GOV'T CONTACTS
"author's" note: now obviously in black you will not see websites or email addresses as I received this directory pre:internet. But certainly you'll have enough basic tools to look up the internet updates yourself if you see something particularly interesting!
August 1990
National Coalition for the Homeless
1621 Connecticut Ave. NW Ste. 400
Wash. D.C. 20009
www.hud.gov
www.nchv.org are community based organizations.
In 1/94 I ended up using this directory to try to break the cycle of homelessness that I had fallen into. It obviously did not work! But i saved it anyway!
So as to prevent my "fingers from falling off" from all of the typing; I am going to include the states of particular interest to me because of their climate or politics or progressive reputation!
Arizona
AZ Dept. of Economic Security Community Services Admin.
PO Box 6123-0867
Phoenix, AZ 85005
Homeless Task Force/AZ Human Services Coalition
M. Clark
c/oTraveler's Aid
40 W. Veterans Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85713
California
CA Coalition for Rural Housing
2000 O Street Suite 230
Sacramento, CA 95814
CA Homeless Coalition
CA Right to Housing Campaign
Florida
Florida Coaltion for the Homeless
PO Box 76301
Tampa, FL 33675
FL Dept. of HRS
Office of Program Policy and Development
Bill Hanson
1317 Winewood Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Florida Low Income Housing Coaltion
FL Non-Profit Housing
Governor's Task Force on Homelessness
FL Dept. of HRS
Jill Sandler
1317 Winewood Blvd. Bldg. No 1 Room 216
Tallahasse, FL 32399
Hawaii
Affordable Housing Alliance
1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1605
Honolulu HI 96813
Hawaii Housing Authority
Aric Arakaki
PO Box 17907
Honolulu, HI 96817
So You get the picture. Also in my original packet, I've got lots of handwritten notes regarding the status of my own HUD application. I called in 03 to the Baltimore Hud Office to see where I fell on the wait. list. I was told that my name had been pulled "off the wait list due to returned mail"
Imagine all of the thousands of people whose names get dropped because they were homeless and no one could reach them. I don't understand why HUD, food stamps, etc. don't communicate via email. Because homeless people can maintain an email account for free at the library and therefore won't get lost in the shuffle.
Initially, in the color black, I will type up the directory itself, as I received it in 1992. Manual updates that I made in my own handwriting over the years, I will include in different coloration to make it easier to distinguish.
A NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF STATEWIDE HOMELESS, HOUSING AND RURAL HOUSING COALITIONS AS WELL AS STATE GOV'T CONTACTS
"author's" note: now obviously in black you will not see websites or email addresses as I received this directory pre:internet. But certainly you'll have enough basic tools to look up the internet updates yourself if you see something particularly interesting!
August 1990
National Coalition for the Homeless
1621 Connecticut Ave. NW Ste. 400
Wash. D.C. 20009
www.hud.gov
www.nchv.org are community based organizations.
In 1/94 I ended up using this directory to try to break the cycle of homelessness that I had fallen into. It obviously did not work! But i saved it anyway!
So as to prevent my "fingers from falling off" from all of the typing; I am going to include the states of particular interest to me because of their climate or politics or progressive reputation!
Arizona
AZ Dept. of Economic Security Community Services Admin.
PO Box 6123-0867
Phoenix, AZ 85005
Homeless Task Force/AZ Human Services Coalition
M. Clark
c/oTraveler's Aid
40 W. Veterans Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85713
California
CA Coalition for Rural Housing
2000 O Street Suite 230
Sacramento, CA 95814
CA Homeless Coalition
CA Right to Housing Campaign
Florida
Florida Coaltion for the Homeless
PO Box 76301
Tampa, FL 33675
FL Dept. of HRS
Office of Program Policy and Development
Bill Hanson
1317 Winewood Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Florida Low Income Housing Coaltion
FL Non-Profit Housing
Governor's Task Force on Homelessness
FL Dept. of HRS
Jill Sandler
1317 Winewood Blvd. Bldg. No 1 Room 216
Tallahasse, FL 32399
Hawaii
Affordable Housing Alliance
1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1605
Honolulu HI 96813
Hawaii Housing Authority
Aric Arakaki
PO Box 17907
Honolulu, HI 96817
So You get the picture. Also in my original packet, I've got lots of handwritten notes regarding the status of my own HUD application. I called in 03 to the Baltimore Hud Office to see where I fell on the wait. list. I was told that my name had been pulled "off the wait list due to returned mail"
Imagine all of the thousands of people whose names get dropped because they were homeless and no one could reach them. I don't understand why HUD, food stamps, etc. don't communicate via email. Because homeless people can maintain an email account for free at the library and therefore won't get lost in the shuffle.
Monday, July 20, 2009
"All in A Day's Work"
It is incredulous that I spend the bulk of my days battling for my life!
I called Western Union's fraud # regarding the money order I sent to ATT that was never redeemed. I read the man my serial # very very slowly and clearly. He replied: "That can't be western union we don't issue money order's with 11 digit serial #'s" "Would you repeat the # again?"
(No I won't) I counted up the digits. There are 11 digits.
"Don't tell me I don't have a western union money order, I'm holding it right here in my hand!"
"Did you say money order?" (he asked incredulously) "You've got the wrong #. This is the dept. of money transfer!"
He give's me the supposed correct phone #. It's doesn't work either. I call the # on the back of the money order. I explain that I want my 50 dollars back because ATT never gave me the phone service that I paid for!
"Our records show that ATT cashed your money order last Friday the 17th of July"
I call ATT to have them give me my money back. Sandra looks up my account in her records. "Ms. Snyder we never received your money order."
"Don't give me that!" i said angrily....I just talked to Western Union and they said you redeemed it on Friday." "You're going to have to give me my money back or I'm going to have to sue you!"
"Thank you so much for your patience Ms. Snyder" "I'm transferring you to my supervisor!"
"Everytime you guys transfer me to a supervisor you end up disconnecting me!" i said.
"Here's my employee i.d. #. I'll stay on the phone while we wait"
She gives me to her supe and after about 25 minutes the supe. says that it will take 4 to 6 weeks before then can get me my 50 dollars. (as of 7/2013 i never received the money)
Verizon
I guess I spent about 90 minutes, and maybe 100 calls to try to find a Verizon employee who will tell me what # I should call to set up my voice mail. The # she gave me was the wrong phone #. My friend with a verizon account ends up giving me the # to set up voice mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I call to set up an appt. with emergency services because i have no gas money. The intake take 30 minutes and it is unbelievable what they asked me. I told them that I'm not sure that I have enough gas to get to the appointment! They can't give me an answer about the gas funds until at least tomorrow. I found the caseworker to be very condescending.
Food Stamps
My food stamps were due 6 days ago! I tell that to the caseworker and she says, "Well of course you don't have your money, you have a food stamp case open in another juridsdiction!" (THIS IS NOT TRUE!)
"Actually I did not. Plus that's irrelevant. What's relevant is that Ms. Macabee promised me the money would be on my card by last weds. and it is not."
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way ms. snyder." "There isn't much I can do but to give you the # of the supervisor, but she's just going to tell you the same thing.
how is one supposed to create a life of balance? I don't think balance is possible for anybody but the well to do. The most I can hope for today is to take a long bath and listen to a Stevie Wonder c.d. while trying to temporarily mentally recover from just 3 hours on the phone.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
"She pointed upwards to God"
Compare/Contrast with my experiences in Baltimore.
Day 1
I show up at the emergency services center. There are 2 women standing out front, one is wearing a white collar. (a nun?)
I ask the ladies: "Pardon me ladies, but if one were here for the first time to apply for emergency services where would they begin? What would be the first step?"
The "nun" pointed to the sky. I asked: "Are you pointing to the second floor?!"
Nun-"No"
Elana-"Oh, you're pointing upstairs!"
Nun-"No"
Elana-"Well, you're pointing "upstairs to god!"
Nun-"That's right!"
I smile and ask her if I should address her as "sister"
she said "No, I'm Pastor McKully!"
E-"Why thank you Pastor!"
She went on to say that i should head inside and speak to Dan. He's the head of emergency services. First I end up proceeding thru the thrift store to get to Dan. I ask the thrift store clerk if he is avail?
Clerk-"Typically, you want to call first"
E-"I don't have a phone, that's why I walked in"
Clerk-"Well, you certainly can't call if you don't have a phone, now can you?"
Let me go tell Dan you're here and find out whether he has time to see you today.
Elana-"I'll just be waiting here in the rocker"
Dan comes out and shakes my hand and invites me back. He radiates warmth. He's soft spoken which is very a-typical in Baltimore area. Almost hard to hear. He looks like my late father Arnold. I tell him this, and he says "Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
Dan-"Now how can I be of assistance to you today, Elana?"
Elana-"Well, I'm just about out of food. I have a quarter tank of gas, and I'm trying to job hunt. Can I get some food out of the food pantry?
I've got all my proofs of income and documentation in my backpack.
Dan-"I WON'T BE NEEDING ANY PROOF! WE JUST USE THE HONOR SYSTEM HERE!"
E-That's remarkable.
Ms. Elana, about how much do you earn per month?
E-695, I earn 695.
Dan-"Have you put in for food stamps?"
E-Yes sir, I completed that process last week, and they said that the monies should be on my food stamp card by Friday.
Dan-"Very good" "If you can come back tomorrow, I'll have 4 bags of food packed up for you"
E-"That'd be great. I have some food allergies, so usually I just pull out the stuff I don't eat, and leave it at the food pantry so it can be used by someone else"
Dan-"Well, then why don't I just get you some grocery store cards so you can make your own selection."
Usually, it's not an either/or situation. Normally you can get the food from the food pantry and they give you a gift card. So, I'm a little bit dissapointed.
E-"Can't I do both?"
Dan-"Yeah, tomorrow show up with a list of things you don't eat and we'll get some bags together for you"
E-"Terrific. I see here that you help with gas. I'm job hunting and if I run out of gas I'll become a prisoner in my home. There are no sidewalks so you can't walk anywhere"
Dan-"It saddens me to tell you that, by our standards that's not deep enough of a crisis. With funding cutbacks when can only give gas in a true emergency.
E-(My life is an emergency, I think to myself. I'll be a prisoner in my home with no gas!)
Dan-"Come back tomorrow and we'll revisit the gas thing."
Dan-"Do you have a church?"
E-I just learned of the Unitarian church in Carroll County, I'd like to go there"
His knowledge really surprises me. He knows all about the church and gives me directions. He tells me of a free lunch on Fridays. We start talking about the arts.
Dan-"I'd like to recommend common ground on the hill to you!"
Elana-"Boy, you really impress me. yes, I'm deeply involved with it, I volunteered there all weekend" "Do you play an instrument?"
Dan-"I play 12 string guitar!"
Elana-"I regularly check in on craigs list to find other musicians to work with"
Dan has me come back the next day. He gives me cards for the grocery store. Generous dollar amount. He apologizes that the agency can't help with gas. He explains that "an example of a gas emergency is that you have a sick relative in the hospital and you have to drive back and forth every day to visit them"
This frightens me, but I know not to press the issue. I'm very impressed with this agency, and I may look into volunteer positions with them while waiting for paid work.
Day 1
I show up at the emergency services center. There are 2 women standing out front, one is wearing a white collar. (a nun?)
I ask the ladies: "Pardon me ladies, but if one were here for the first time to apply for emergency services where would they begin? What would be the first step?"
The "nun" pointed to the sky. I asked: "Are you pointing to the second floor?!"
Nun-"No"
Elana-"Oh, you're pointing upstairs!"
Nun-"No"
Elana-"Well, you're pointing "upstairs to god!"
Nun-"That's right!"
I smile and ask her if I should address her as "sister"
she said "No, I'm Pastor McKully!"
E-"Why thank you Pastor!"
She went on to say that i should head inside and speak to Dan. He's the head of emergency services. First I end up proceeding thru the thrift store to get to Dan. I ask the thrift store clerk if he is avail?
Clerk-"Typically, you want to call first"
E-"I don't have a phone, that's why I walked in"
Clerk-"Well, you certainly can't call if you don't have a phone, now can you?"
Let me go tell Dan you're here and find out whether he has time to see you today.
Elana-"I'll just be waiting here in the rocker"
Dan comes out and shakes my hand and invites me back. He radiates warmth. He's soft spoken which is very a-typical in Baltimore area. Almost hard to hear. He looks like my late father Arnold. I tell him this, and he says "Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
Dan-"Now how can I be of assistance to you today, Elana?"
Elana-"Well, I'm just about out of food. I have a quarter tank of gas, and I'm trying to job hunt. Can I get some food out of the food pantry?
I've got all my proofs of income and documentation in my backpack.
Dan-"I WON'T BE NEEDING ANY PROOF! WE JUST USE THE HONOR SYSTEM HERE!"
E-That's remarkable.
Ms. Elana, about how much do you earn per month?
E-695, I earn 695.
Dan-"Have you put in for food stamps?"
E-Yes sir, I completed that process last week, and they said that the monies should be on my food stamp card by Friday.
Dan-"Very good" "If you can come back tomorrow, I'll have 4 bags of food packed up for you"
E-"That'd be great. I have some food allergies, so usually I just pull out the stuff I don't eat, and leave it at the food pantry so it can be used by someone else"
Dan-"Well, then why don't I just get you some grocery store cards so you can make your own selection."
Usually, it's not an either/or situation. Normally you can get the food from the food pantry and they give you a gift card. So, I'm a little bit dissapointed.
E-"Can't I do both?"
Dan-"Yeah, tomorrow show up with a list of things you don't eat and we'll get some bags together for you"
E-"Terrific. I see here that you help with gas. I'm job hunting and if I run out of gas I'll become a prisoner in my home. There are no sidewalks so you can't walk anywhere"
Dan-"It saddens me to tell you that, by our standards that's not deep enough of a crisis. With funding cutbacks when can only give gas in a true emergency.
E-(My life is an emergency, I think to myself. I'll be a prisoner in my home with no gas!)
Dan-"Come back tomorrow and we'll revisit the gas thing."
Dan-"Do you have a church?"
E-I just learned of the Unitarian church in Carroll County, I'd like to go there"
His knowledge really surprises me. He knows all about the church and gives me directions. He tells me of a free lunch on Fridays. We start talking about the arts.
Dan-"I'd like to recommend common ground on the hill to you!"
Elana-"Boy, you really impress me. yes, I'm deeply involved with it, I volunteered there all weekend" "Do you play an instrument?"
Dan-"I play 12 string guitar!"
Elana-"I regularly check in on craigs list to find other musicians to work with"
Dan has me come back the next day. He gives me cards for the grocery store. Generous dollar amount. He apologizes that the agency can't help with gas. He explains that "an example of a gas emergency is that you have a sick relative in the hospital and you have to drive back and forth every day to visit them"
This frightens me, but I know not to press the issue. I'm very impressed with this agency, and I may look into volunteer positions with them while waiting for paid work.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
"The Man who carries 7 purses"
Lunch with my local drug dealer!
I was at the Hampden mall/offices for a doctor's appt. I'm down to my last 10 dollars. After finishing I proceed to the 4th floor elevator. I see what appears to be a very high man carrying 7 purses!
He asks me "How you doon?"
"I'm hangin' in there" I reply.
"I'm tryin' to hang in there too" he responded.
He continued to chat with me on the elevator.
Elana-"Selling purses?"
"dealer"-"Well, I'm" tron" to but I'm really not supposed to be here at all" "You do what chu got to do. You know what I mean?"
Elana-"I know exactly what you mean"
"dealer" "I gots some Michael Jackson t shirts dat I'm sellin' too"
Elana-"That's really cool. I'd love to see the Jackson shirts. My first concert was Jackson 5. I don't have any money, in fact the money I'm using to buy my hot dog was donated to me. My doctor wants me to eat so he gave me 10 bucks"
"dealer" "Yeah I'll show you the shirts but I have to be careful"
Elana-"Just sit with me while I eat my hot dog, I'm sure you won't get in trouble for showing the t shirts if you're sitting with me."
"dealer" "That sounds good"
He takes the tshirts out of the purses. Some are really beautiful and I'd buy one if I could. But I gotta wonder, where he "gets his goods?"
Elana-"Those shirts are absolutely beautiful." "Are you having any luck with sales?"
"dealer" "Not a lot..... I gotta supplement my work ya know. I do a little bit of dealin. "Um just being honest which you."
Elana_"What do you sell?"
(He names multiple drugs. I don't know much about drugs, but I'm learning. His arms are covered with bad scars. He looks like he was totally dismembered and then put back together again.
Elana-"So, what are dealers bringin' in these days?"
"Man, I'm making 8k a month. But I'm "tron" to get out of it"
E-"What happened to you. Why all the scars?"
Man-"Well, I ingested a ca-cock-tion of drugs and then passed out in Dru Hill for 3 days when they found me"
E-"What a miracle that you're still alive!"
Man-"Sure is, we all gots our time and god didn't want me to go yet"
E-"Sounds like you're glad you lived!"
Man-"Sure am." My son is upstairs at the doctor and my daughter works in this bldg."
E-"You've got family. Sounds like you have alot of reason to live. A purpose"
Man-"I just turned 55 the other day!"
E-"Happy birthday! I just turned 46!"
Man-"You a gemini?"
E-"Cancer"
Man-"I guess that's why we hit it off so well, we both cancers!"
E-"I'm sure that's it!"
Man-"Well, I gotta get goin now, it was great to meet you!"
E-"you too, and I wish you the best with everything!"
I was at the Hampden mall/offices for a doctor's appt. I'm down to my last 10 dollars. After finishing I proceed to the 4th floor elevator. I see what appears to be a very high man carrying 7 purses!
He asks me "How you doon?"
"I'm hangin' in there" I reply.
"I'm tryin' to hang in there too" he responded.
He continued to chat with me on the elevator.
Elana-"Selling purses?"
"dealer"-"Well, I'm" tron" to but I'm really not supposed to be here at all" "You do what chu got to do. You know what I mean?"
Elana-"I know exactly what you mean"
"dealer" "I gots some Michael Jackson t shirts dat I'm sellin' too"
Elana-"That's really cool. I'd love to see the Jackson shirts. My first concert was Jackson 5. I don't have any money, in fact the money I'm using to buy my hot dog was donated to me. My doctor wants me to eat so he gave me 10 bucks"
"dealer" "Yeah I'll show you the shirts but I have to be careful"
Elana-"Just sit with me while I eat my hot dog, I'm sure you won't get in trouble for showing the t shirts if you're sitting with me."
"dealer" "That sounds good"
He takes the tshirts out of the purses. Some are really beautiful and I'd buy one if I could. But I gotta wonder, where he "gets his goods?"
Elana-"Those shirts are absolutely beautiful." "Are you having any luck with sales?"
"dealer" "Not a lot..... I gotta supplement my work ya know. I do a little bit of dealin. "Um just being honest which you."
Elana_"What do you sell?"
(He names multiple drugs. I don't know much about drugs, but I'm learning. His arms are covered with bad scars. He looks like he was totally dismembered and then put back together again.
Elana-"So, what are dealers bringin' in these days?"
"Man, I'm making 8k a month. But I'm "tron" to get out of it"
E-"What happened to you. Why all the scars?"
Man-"Well, I ingested a ca-cock-tion of drugs and then passed out in Dru Hill for 3 days when they found me"
E-"What a miracle that you're still alive!"
Man-"Sure is, we all gots our time and god didn't want me to go yet"
E-"Sounds like you're glad you lived!"
Man-"Sure am." My son is upstairs at the doctor and my daughter works in this bldg."
E-"You've got family. Sounds like you have alot of reason to live. A purpose"
Man-"I just turned 55 the other day!"
E-"Happy birthday! I just turned 46!"
Man-"You a gemini?"
E-"Cancer"
Man-"I guess that's why we hit it off so well, we both cancers!"
E-"I'm sure that's it!"
Man-"Well, I gotta get goin now, it was great to meet you!"
E-"you too, and I wish you the best with everything!"
Friday, July 10, 2009
"A Tidbit of Good News"
It's that time of the year again folks. It's www.commongroundonthehill.org
Perhaps you read my blog of 7/08 on cgoth.
It's 40 dollars to get into the weekend long concert series, and I obviously don't have the money.
I thank "the gods" that the volunteer coordinator has found work for me, so I can work off my ticket price.
The week I spent as a full time camper in 7/97 at Mc Daniel College's common ground on the hill to this day has been one of the most fulfilling weeks of my life.
Will I see you at the roots festival this weekend?
It will be held at my second home, the
www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org
Perhaps you read my blog of 7/08 on cgoth.
It's 40 dollars to get into the weekend long concert series, and I obviously don't have the money.
I thank "the gods" that the volunteer coordinator has found work for me, so I can work off my ticket price.
The week I spent as a full time camper in 7/97 at Mc Daniel College's common ground on the hill to this day has been one of the most fulfilling weeks of my life.
Will I see you at the roots festival this weekend?
It will be held at my second home, the
www.carrollcountyfarmmuseum.org
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