Encompass Blog
Fast Food. (Yet he persisted.)
Slowly, over the last 18 months,
the number of folks dropping by Jack-n-the-Box
has dropped to almost none.
There seem to be several reasons.
The first is the death of
Harold Vaughn.
His gift of the gab kept the little tribe together.
With his death fractures began to appear.
Then the pressure started.
Pressure from various establishments
to have the houseless problem “solved.”
Signs posted limiting sitting times.
Cops easing people “on down the road.”
Staff insisting people leave,
even if they made a purchase.
Owners threatening to call the police.
Despite this, people still came,
though far more infrequently and subdued.
Then Carlos Vargas died.
Already weakened by the loss of Harold,
the fractures gave and the tribe was no more.
The visits became even more infrequent
and limited to only a few.
And then the pressure increased at our local hangout.
Folks were refused food, asked to leave and, over time,
ceased to come.
At this point,
I decided to expand my area
and started having coffee at the fast food place at Midtown.
I still spent Tuesday mornings at the “ol hangout.”
And for several months, I came,
drank a cup of coffee and read.
Each time I asked if anyone had stopped by
and each time I was told no.
At Midtown I didn’t fare any better.
Being a new place, with a larger rotating population
(some based in cars)
I am finding it hard to make connections.
I haven’t located the “Harold”
or “Carlos” for Midtown.
Needless to say, it has not been encouraging
and I have begun to doubt what I am about.
And then “J” showed up this last Tuesday.
I haven't seen “J” in over a year.
I knew she had been in a relationship
that seemed to be going well
and so presumed that she didn't need to stop by;
she was off the street and on her way.
That is still somewhat true.
But “J” had a change in her life
and needed to talk.
And so, after months of “sipping and reading,”
someone came by.
She came by hoping she'd find me there.
She came by at the end of the hour I spend,
but, as it turned out,
my next appointment was cancelled,
so I could sit and listen.
We visited for an hour.
As is always with her,
it was a bird walk of a conversation.
The thumb nail sketch is that
she is no longer in a relationship and
this has brought about much loss and confusion.
I know that I most certainly did not solve
any of her problems.
I did offer a few bits of common advice
and suggestions at her request.
I have no idea if it will help.
What I do know is that if I had not been there,
we might have never connected.
I know that that might not have made a big difference.
I know that regardless of the outcome,
she sought a conversation,
and had I not been there, it would not have happened.
Sometimes showing up, every time, regardless,
can make all the difference in the world.
