Saturday, September 26, 2009

"There But For The Grace Of God Go I.................OR........................Breathe Again, And Slowly Unclench........................."

Good Morning;

[(Time Zone = GMT:-5); Please Adjust Time Of Day Salutation As Needed]

(See post below this one for reference)

{Sometimes Ya Gotta Be Silly To Stay Sane.........LOL}


So, No one can tell me that my luck or whatever you wish to call it does not run in cycles, circles, rhythms, patterns, programs, or what have you. After a couple weeks of crawling IN and scraping the bottom of the barrel suddenly I'm finding myself crawling Out of the horn of plenty..(or Cornucopia for you literate folks....lol).

Twice in 2 days I am loaded up with damn near more food that I can eat before it goes bad, (or disintegrates in transit through unavailability of proper packing and travel containers), sandwiches, salads, fruit and cheese plates and pastries, (the day AFTER I decide to try to lose some weight/flab.....lol). After stretching dollar bills to the breaking point, and not having any luck getting on corner at the 'good' times, and not hitting the Keno for more than $2.00 in a few weeks.....when all at the same time I end up with a bit of cash from a friend, and a decent hour on the corner, with a couple generous donations, and a moderate $25.00 keno hit.


And what really made me realize how "lucky/blessed" I can be at times is a combination of 3 events and/or situations;


First, was the meeting and conversation with my oldest daughter, which seemed to be the starting point of this round of incidences.


Second, was the meeting and greetings of several people who I had not seen for a while. I have met a number of people when I used to stand out on the corner of Mt. Royal Ave. and North Ave. to catch the evening rush hour about to enter onto I-83 North, (Jones Falls Expwy.), who were 'regulars' in the sense that in the few seconds or minutes of conversation that we were able to grab, depending on the timing of the traffic light, we had developed a slight friendship or relationship that was such that some personal details were exchanged and remembered..on both sides..a few degrees beyond mere pleasantries. Small details about families or health or work, even 'entry level emotional intimacies'...(LOL).


Seeing my friend Michelle from MICA, was one.


Another was seeing and speaking to this woman, who has a dazzling smile and who seems truly pleased to see me and appears to actually care and react with her own happiness or sadness in response to my circumstances. When she gives me something it is a $5.00 which is not always but always welcome, but she always stops to say hello. I don't know her name..the same as with most..but I think of her as "the small dark haired woman with the really, really skinny cigarette, (which I have never seen her without...lol), in the little blue car.


There is also a young Chinese woman/girl..(What the hell, I'm 53 and I can't figure out the demarcation line between them anymore, and PC be damned!....lol....and besides that, with many Asian women, 18 or 40 is hard to determine), who waves so enthusiastically and smiles so broadly and brilliantly that it's a joy to see her whether she stops or not. When she does stop, 8 times out of 10 she has a treat for me from China, some native delicacy or sweet that I have no idea what it is because the packaging is not printed for export, and not always illustrated. I have had some interesting and for the most part tasty snacks that probably don't want to know what they are anyway...LOL! (Sometimes her English is not up to the task of describing the ingredients, and the names of the products are typically lyrical and flowery, not practical; e.g., 'delicious gems of harmony ', or 'petals of beauty', or 'crystallized dewdrops'...et.al.). Well, I adhere to the same rules I've taught my children, about ALL foods, (and which Rachel knows, will recite to you in a heartbeat, and really does willingly follow!)...namely..."You Don't Have To Like It...BUT...You Do Have To Try It!!", and I've had some strange and wonderful things, as well as some things that have to be banned under the Geneva Conventions as unfit for consumption, as torture!!...I don't know what this one thing was but it had the texture of grout, the smell of unwashed gym socks and the flavor of lime vomit! Ah...those inscrutable oriental minds!!


Then there is the traveling preacher/lecturer whose tire I changed around 18 months ago and who makes a special trip out of his way just to come by and say hello every time he hits Baltimore, we have missed each other for some months now our 'schedules' happened to coordinate yesterday......lol. Some folks just exude goodness to the point where it seems to rub off like pollen, and after spending time with them, colors seem brighter, worries seem lighter and the world seems just a little bit less nasty.


I've come to realize that meeting a new and constantly varying or even just rotating group of people is essential to my mental health, I feel better some days even if I have not made all that much money, (and if the weather is pleasant...a major factor also), just for having seen and talked to some familiar folks who I do NOT see day in and day out, and possibly met some new acquaintances.


Third...and this is the kicker...I had been out on the corner about 45 minute and had $10.00, (which was basically my goal, enough for my meds for the weekend, I've got an Appt. Monday to see another doctor at the clinic, who may be able to help me), and was just about to call it quits, around 5:00pm., when I saw a cop in line to make a U-turn and come back up past me. Well I will not insult a cop by flaunting my sign in front of them, even if it one of the ones who don't mind or care about panhandling, so I folded up my stuff and turned away. As I crossed the street, with the idea that I would possibly come back when they left, I saw Jillian across the street going to a car that had honked for her. The cops were in the left turn lane and immediately turned on lights and siren and barreled through traffic to the on ramp of I-83 and pulled over and jumped out, all three of them, and surrounded her.

Less than 2 minutes..(literally!).. went past and she was in 'Plasticuffs' and being put in the back of the car and hauled away.
These were all big white guys, the biggest going about 6' 5" and 300 lbs.,in plain clothes, shorts and jeans, etc., who are known on the street as 'the knockers', and usually work narcotics, and Jillian is kind of skinny, about 5' 7" and maybe 130 lbs...(or less, I'd never make any money at the Fair or the carnival at the "Guess Your Weight" booth.....lol!), a bit of overkill.( ya think?)



She and her boyfriend Sean, are fairly nice people and 'say' they are not getting high, but my observations of certain behaviors and bodily indications, on her part at least, lead me to presume..?..infer..?..surmise..?..otherwise, (though I may be wrong, and if so...my apologies).

But they and she in particular have had recent run-ins with certain police officers in the neighborhood and in Hampton, where they 'crash' at a house that charges them $10.00-$20.00 a night to stay.


Hmmmmmm?


Well in my experience..and..as Shakespeare says:


"What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;"


And their comments and opinions of cops in general and personal knowledge of the shifts and areas of certain cops tend to imply a two way back and forth familiarity. Again, only my opinions and impressions....

but....I've,

"Been there, done that, got the tee shirt"


But I digress from my original point.

If I had not 'folded my tent and slipped away into the night, like a snake oil salesman at the county fair', at that very moment, it possibly could have have been me going to tour the lovely and hospitable, Central Booking.

Was it luck, serendipity, coincidence.....Divine Intervention?

I don't profess to know, but damn if I'm not grateful!


At this point, I got on the first bus coming down the street, just to get out of sight..(as they were putting her in the car). I got off a half block later and went down to the Light Rail to look for Sean to let him know what happened, (I seem to run into him there as we are getting on/off passing trains), but he was not there. I went to Mt. Washington, to the Starbucks there because they have tables outside, front and back, sun or shade. Ashley was closing and I helped her take the trash down to the dumpster, and she gave me a bag of markouts. I talked to Monkee and made arrangements to meet her today, (when I am done here in fact), and then caught the bus and the train and the bus back to Pikesville, stopped in the gas station, and went in the shed and crawled until the blanket because it really cooled off quick.

I hit the Giant around 7:00 am. this morning and sat outside the library until it opened drinking coffee...FREE!!! this week at the 'Gucci' Giant for the grand opening festivities...(I missed the gift card giveaway by ONE (1) person yesterday).

I am going over to visit Anna Marie, and shower and wash clothes this evening, after I pass by Monkee's house.


I think I'll pass on the corner today, and if I have to, tomorrow, I'll slide down there earlier in the day, for the first shift....is there Raven's home game this Sunday?...if so there may be a better chance that more cops are pulling duty downtown. I hope to end up with some cash next Friday, so I'm going to consider how to stretchhhhh old G

George again this week.


Hey!!, Allan is here, out of the hospital. I'll see you all later..........Dave














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