Sometimes an encounter happens that appears to be somewhat "normal", but upon reflection it takes on a new and deeper meaning. Last night's last encounter was just such a time. I had four sandwiches left. It was about 5:30 -6:00 pm and I was dying for a cup of coffee. I decided to drive through the Jack in the Box on Alameda. Sometimes there are homeless people milling around there and sure enough, there were two folks who had positioned themselves at the end of the drive-thru lane. I ended up giving them two of the four sandwiches left and then pulled into a parking spot and drank the coffee. When I was ready to leave (it was completely dark out by now) I noticed a man walking up to the car. I rolled the window down and he asked if I had anything to eat (I think). I don't remember his exact words, I know he didn't ask for money. I said, "Well, as a matter of fact I have a sandwich here and handed it to him through the window. I reached in the ice chest in the back seat and gave him a bottle of water. He was quite thankful, humble and appreciative. He then asked if I had anything else to give him. No, he wasn't specific and once again didn't ask for money. I had the one other sandwich left which I gave him. He thanked me again profusely and said, "God bless you." before turning and walking away. I was kind of caught off-guard by the whole exchange and suddenly realized I was totally out of food now and clear to head home. I started thinking as I watched this man walking away into the darkness that I didn't ask for his name or where he was from, yet I was so struck by his total surrender to his situation and how he was completely at the mercy of a stranger. I don't know how many others he may have asked for help from, in fact, I am so disappointed that I didn't engage him at all. I just can't shake the hopelessness and despair I saw in his eyes. I hope and pray I see him again, but it's probably doubtful. I wish I had done more.
Earlier on this trip I was on 10th and San Pedro. I saw Gregory. Last week he was hobbling pretty badly. This week he was much better, but he was unable to perform the part-time work he'd been doing because of the leg injury. We were talking about birthdays and he told me he will be 55 next June. You may remember him telling me that he had lived on and around that street for over twenty years. I don't know where he lived before then, but it appears he's spent most of his adult life on the street. As I was leaving that street I saw a woman, Debbie, who I hadn't seen in several months. She was hooked-up with a man in a wheel-chair named Chris. Chris had been in and out of the hospital for the last year due to liver and kidney failure. A couple of months ago he was picked up again by ambulance and taken to the county hospital . I was told not to expect to see him again and found out later he had died. So now I'm seeing his girlfriend there for the first time since then. She was happy to see me, but being on that street brings back a lot of memories for her. We talked for quite a while just a few feet from where six or eight months ago I "married them". After all I am "Pastor John" to them. Not being ordained by anyone, I asked God to "bless their union". I'm sure they both knew what was ahead and wanted to make their relationship as legitimate as possible. I ended up giving her a ride down to 55th and Broadway where she's staying with someone in an apartment.
So in the last five weeks I've made four trips downtown. This is the first time I've written about a trip in six weeks. So about three or four weeks ago I saw Carmen for the first time in about three months. The next week after I saw her she was gone again and I didn't see her yesterday either. I asked someone in the neighborhood the first week I didn't see her and they told me they heard she had been picked-up by an ambulance that morning. Remember she was having liver and kidney problems too.
Here is a picture I took of her the last time I saw her about 3-4 weeks ago. She looked so good that day. I was hopeful she was on the mend.
So since the time change last weekend, it has made these trips very difficult. I am currently working nights so I don't get off work until 7 am on Sunday morning and have to sleep when I get home. So I'm making these trips on 4 or 5 hours sleep after a full week's work. It's hard on this old guy's body right now, but I'll be switching to days after the first of the year, so six more weeks of this schedule. I turn 65 this week....I'll make it somehow. --Until next time. John
