It has been raining (sort of a light-drizzly rain) here in Southern California the last couple of days. Although it hasn't been 'real' cold, it hasn't been warm either and I felt the people I'll meet would really appreciate a hot meal. So I made another big pot of pasta and meatballs. I hadn't done that since Christmas day almost four months ago. Interestingly enough, one of the memorable encounters of that day I met again yesterday. If you read the blog from Christmas day, you might remember the woman, Natalie was her name, that I gave the heavy jacket to as I was leaving. Christmas day was very very cold and windy here in Los Angeles even though the sun was out. She was wrapped up in a blanket the whole time and I asked her if she had a jacket. She told me she had a sweater (probably was wearing it under the blanket). I had set aside a nice heavy warm jacket and kept it up in the front of the car with me. I wanted to be able to give it to someone who really needed it that day and if I left it in the back of the car someone might see it and take it just because it was a better one than the one they had on. So I waited until I found the person with the greatest need. That turned out to be Natalie. She had told me she was from Central America and had no family here in America. And here she is homeless and freezing (and hungry) and on Christmas day at that. Anyway, after she told me she had a sweater, but no jacket I gave the nice jacket I had to her and said, "Then this is for you." She said thank you and then said, "I'll always remember this." It was a heartbreaking situation to witness, but I was thankful that I was able to help. Well, when I saw her and her husband, Charlie, yesterday they were living in an alley right near where I saw them on Christmas. Each end of the alley had a chained-up gate so I couldn't get my car in there. I pulled up as close as I could and they came and met me. They told me they could get out on the other end, but I couldn't find a way to get the car in there. So I handed clothes and food through the openings in the fence. I stayed with them for a while talking and at one point Natalie said, "Remember that jacket you gave me?" I told her I did indeed remember it. She then told me that she was sleeping one night and while she wasn't wearing it, she had it over her like a blanket and someone came by and stole it. I had about three or four jackets in the car and gave her another one. The jackets weren't as warm as the one I gave her on Christmas, but at least the weather isn't as cold as it was that day either. Some other men came by on the street while I was parked there and I gave out quite a few clothes and served up a few more meals. I prayed with Natalie and Charlie through the fence and told them I'd start looking for them down there when I come back the next time. On the other side of the block was the parking lot where they used to live. I had stopped there right before seeing them and found Shorty and Red there. So by the time I left that area, (there were a couple other guys I helped on another side street nearby) I had given out about 80% of the clothes I had. Here is the picture I posted of Natalie and Charlie from Christmas Day.
Another stop I made was off 16th and San Pedro. It's under the I-10 freeway and the last couple of weeks I've driven by and helped a couple of men who camp out there. One of the men is usually sleeping and I don't get to talk to him much, but yesterday he was awake and some others were there so I parked and got out and opened up the back so they could look through the clothes. The one man who is usually sleeping was so happy to see me and said he loves that I come down there and help people like him out. He even gave me a hug. At one point when there were several people going through the clothes in the back there was a bit of an argument over who was to get a heavy sweater. This guy asked me to referee. It was between him and a woman. I told him to "Cut her a break and I'll bring you another one next week." It immediately defused the situation.
One last encounter that I'd like to tell you about happened last week. I didn't get a chance to write about last week's trip, but there was one encounter that has stayed with me. A few weeks ago I told you about helping a homeless man by the name of Alan. I described him as "looking very homeless" with his matted hair, full beard and clothes that he's probably worn for the last couple of years. He also is a man of few words....very few words. Anyway, a few weeks back when I saw him I gave him a sandwich and he dropped everything he had in his hands and started eating it right then. It was humbling to see someone so desperately hungry. So last week when I was down there I specifically went looking for Allan from the start. I drove up and down 9th/Olympic and couldn't find him. I went passed Alameda Street on Olympic and pretty much gave up trying to find him. I turned around and started to drive south on Alameda and within 100 yards or so there he was walking up the side-walk with some sticks in his arms. I have no idea what the sticks were for. I gave him two sandwiches that day just to make sure he had enough to eat for the rest of the day. When I asked him if he needed a pair of socks he said "OK". I've never heard him say that before, only "Yeah." and nod his head from time to time. There have been many times when people have been happy to see me downtown, this was truly one of those times when I was especially happy to see someone myself.
Until next time. John
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