You know it's cold when you see the homeless lining up early, as in before 7AM, at Vineyard Christian Fellowship on Monday Mornings. They tend to mosey in when its warm. The shower list doesn't begin to get long till about 8:30 over the summer. But when it's cold, the hope of getting somewhere warm is at the top of their priority list. Once Mickey and Rick show up, they rush in. And that shower list: you better be there early if you want to get out before ten!
Even Pat's wife Judy commented as she arrived: “Wow, there's so many people here!” Sixty when all was said and done. They ran out of Biscuits and Gravy pretty durn quick. Of course, the biscuits and gravy they serve there, when they do, is better than anything you'll eat at I-Hop.
Two mothers, one with two young daughters and another with four young children were also there this morning. I haven't really spoken with either of them, so I don't know their stories. All I do know is that I've never seen women with young children here on a Monday Morning. By young, I mean younger than seven.
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Princess Paul, of course, got in the shower first, didn't help out setting up at all, and was demanding when it came to how his Biscuits and Gravy were served to him... someone should cut him a generous pay-check just for gracing all of us with his presence...
And I received good news in that Adam Parris is back in Santa Rita. Who cares why? He's out of circulation so all y'all's daughters are safe, for the moment. Last week he was seen over at the transit centre surrounded by teenagers dealing controlled substances, which he does quite a bit. I could check to see if that's how he got nailed, but I really don't care. He's getting three square meals a day and has a nice warm bed... I just hope he finds true love there as well...
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Another indication it's winter is how social everyone becomes. Everyone seems to talk to everyone else and share stories about this and that... or the odd conspiracy theory... repeatedly...
I watched my friends Janet and Elvis push Mark Waller's wheelchair into Vineyard this morning. Now, Mark is a bad-ass. People who know him can attest to that. He was hit crossing First Street in front of the Livermore Casino in a double hit and run last week. One car hit him, and when he tried to get up, another one hit him, putting him in the hospital for a few days.
Forget Mark's history for a moment (and he does have a history... it's just not relevant here). But know that living homeless with those kinds of injuries is about as punishing as anything I can imagine.
For those of you that don't know, the Livermore Casino is just beyond the Railroad Overpass on First Street on your way out to Springtown. The crosswalk there is one of the most dangerous places to be a pedestrian (or on a Bicycle). Mark was hit crossing the street in the marked crosswalk. The way he tells it, he went over the first car, then when he went to get up, a second car hit him. Both fled the scene. Mr. Mayor, if you happen to read this, I asked you a question about Speed Traps a while back... can we PULEEZE have them back? East Avenue and First Street are getting out of control... Besides... the city needs money, doesn't it?
Even so, Mark's in pretty good spirits. In his condition, he's unlikely to get into any mischief which will make a few I know smile... you can't help but like the guy when he's being personable. How he's managing I have not the first clue. I suppose, like everything else, you just accept it and do it...
With the Warming Centre open, a lot of those who aren't working are gravitating to it. Last night it was, as all weekends, at First Presbyterian. Tonight it will be at Holy Cross Church on Mocho Street and will be for the next three weeks (Monday through Friday Nights).
As with the last time I had a job, staying at the Warming Centre becomes something of an impossibility for various reasons. My friend Ricky is the same. Pat likewise. Mike and Tina as well... For those who work it becomes a sleep deprivation chamber.
What's interesting is I asked my friend Dan if he'd been staying there, and he told me he and his wife were more comfortable in their car.
Fewer are going there. Saturday night only seven stayed, though it was more last night, twelve, I'm told. It would have been thirteen except for one idiot left in a huff because someone cleared his plate when the tables were cleaned. Minor dramas by those who consider themselves entitled are common as one might expect.
To those who have disappeared, we're worried about you. Max was one, though I did hear he spent time at the warming centre a few nights ago. Others have moved on. But when someone we know around here disappears the lot of us have one of two reactions: “good riddance” or “intense worry.” It's often “good riddance” but there are those folks who we can at least hope are doing well...
Mickey is trying to get a contact list together with phone numbers and/or email addresses just so folks can keep in touch a bit better... those of you who are out of touch, you do cross our minds...
The homeless of Livermore have officially started their winter huddle. I give it two weeks before the real drama starts...
