Wonderful idea in my opinion! Although right out of the chute, I was puzzled: Am I rich? Am I poor? How the hell do you know in 2021? I had about the same net worth 25 years ago as I do now, so that makes me feel poor - although its a respectable net worth. I'm rich in experiences and memories, successes and failures, and in many, many people I have known and do know. I do know one thing for sure: It's NOT demeaning to offer a homeless person or a panhandler money to write their story. If they think it is, that's THEIR problem not yours. Just my opinion.
Thanks, Julie! I have the form, but it is going to take some time. I am quite sure the 10-year old me would have never thought I would become this old lady who has to give great thought to "what is it like to me me"?!
Not so sure what it's like to be me, but life's been good so far! Being homeless and living on the street is hard for me to imagine. Our best known homeless guy in St Pete is "Joe". He has lived on the corner of 3rd St and South 7th Ave underneath a power supply station for over 10 years. He sleeps under an umbrella, surrounded by all kinds of coolers, bags, and piles of stuff. The City and social services department have tried everything to help him but nothing works for him and he just finds his way back to his spot. His hair and beard are everywhere and his skin is blackened from the Florida sun. He appears to have skin cancer around his nose. The neighborhood web site contains thousands (yes) of opinions of what should be done with Joe. You can imagine!
Someone always wants to know where he poops and pees, and is that urine or iced tea in the gallon jugs outside his tent??
Joe does not pan handle but he will accept food and kindness.
I bring him a home-cooked meal or ice cream now and then and he thanks me most sincerely. He is very personable and soft spoken. One day he asked if I would get him some lighter fluid for his tin can hibachi that he uses for Ramen and coffee and I've made a point of trying to keep it replenished ever since.
Joe spends most of the daylight hours writing in a journal. He tells me that it is mostly about the people that he meets. I have always wanted to ask him if I could read one, but somehow I thought that the material would be too personal...
It amazes me that he can persevere day in and day out, year after year on that corner. For years I have driven by and admired him for his strength.
Four months ago they began construction of a large building opposite of Joe's corner. A couple of months ago Joe disappeared and no one on the web site knew where he went. He always came back but this time he didn't. Finally he was spotted riding around on the bus loop after loop. So he is alive!. Apparently the City somehow got through to him and got him to move on permanently.
It is always sad to go by his corner and not see him. No one has cut the grass around his little home since he left.
I have a homeless friend named Gerald that I see most mornings on my bike ride to the coffee market (another day for the Gerald story). He is the one who spotted Joe on the bus. I will ask him to see if Joe would part with one of his journals and, if so, I will pass on some writings from Joe's world.
Wonderful idea in my opinion! Although right out of the chute, I was puzzled: Am I rich? Am I poor? How the hell do you know in 2021? I had about the same net worth 25 years ago as I do now, so that makes me feel poor - although its a respectable net worth. I'm rich in experiences and memories, successes and failures, and in many, many people I have known and do know. I do know one thing for sure: It's NOT demeaning to offer a homeless person or a panhandler money to write their story. If they think it is, that's THEIR problem not yours. Just my opinion.
Thanks, Julie! I have the form, but it is going to take some time. I am quite sure the 10-year old me would have never thought I would become this old lady who has to give great thought to "what is it like to me me"?!
Not so sure what it's like to be me, but life's been good so far! Being homeless and living on the street is hard for me to imagine. Our best known homeless guy in St Pete is "Joe". He has lived on the corner of 3rd St and South 7th Ave underneath a power supply station for over 10 years. He sleeps under an umbrella, surrounded by all kinds of coolers, bags, and piles of stuff. The City and social services department have tried everything to help him but nothing works for him and he just finds his way back to his spot. His hair and beard are everywhere and his skin is blackened from the Florida sun. He appears to have skin cancer around his nose. The neighborhood web site contains thousands (yes) of opinions of what should be done with Joe. You can imagine!
Someone always wants to know where he poops and pees, and is that urine or iced tea in the gallon jugs outside his tent??
Joe does not pan handle but he will accept food and kindness.
I bring him a home-cooked meal or ice cream now and then and he thanks me most sincerely. He is very personable and soft spoken. One day he asked if I would get him some lighter fluid for his tin can hibachi that he uses for Ramen and coffee and I've made a point of trying to keep it replenished ever since.
Joe spends most of the daylight hours writing in a journal. He tells me that it is mostly about the people that he meets. I have always wanted to ask him if I could read one, but somehow I thought that the material would be too personal...
It amazes me that he can persevere day in and day out, year after year on that corner. For years I have driven by and admired him for his strength.
Four months ago they began construction of a large building opposite of Joe's corner. A couple of months ago Joe disappeared and no one on the web site knew where he went. He always came back but this time he didn't. Finally he was spotted riding around on the bus loop after loop. So he is alive!. Apparently the City somehow got through to him and got him to move on permanently.
It is always sad to go by his corner and not see him. No one has cut the grass around his little home since he left.
I have a homeless friend named Gerald that I see most mornings on my bike ride to the coffee market (another day for the Gerald story). He is the one who spotted Joe on the bus. I will ask him to see if Joe would part with one of his journals and, if so, I will pass on some writings from Joe's world.
What it is like to be Joe.....