My Thoughts April 21, 2016 - (Click Here to Return HOME)
The Shelter
What would I do if I were in charge of a Homeless Shelter! I've lived in a homeless shelter for several months, so I know the routine, and I know the abuses as well.
Before I tell you how I would run a shelter, I will share with you what I recall from my experiences, to give you an ideal of how we can improve things today...
While in the company of others we tend to choose more compassionate words, but what escapes at other times is a contrary attitude towards them, "Bum! Get a job!" So my experience in a particular shelter was mostly that of working.
Typical procedure 1) talk to a counselor, give personal information, details, they ask if you have a bank account, and how much money you have on you at the time 2) They determine if you meet the requirements, if so, they go over the rules, expectations, ask you if you require anything, then provide you with the basic's, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. If you have clothing needs, they may or may not be able to accommodate you. 3) Then they show you to your bunk. After that they just become a familiar face the rest of the time.
I was in a room larger than the one I was in at the orphanage as a child; Housing about 40-50 males of varying ages, we all slept on bunk beds, no privacy during shower time, and only a curtain for restroom functions. First day you get there you are okay, but a day or two later you develop what is known as "kennel cough", which doesn't go away, until you leave the facility, at which time it goes away eventually. It feels like smokers cough, but more consistent. You have a higher chance of contracting various sicknesses and diseases such as the flu, TB, and we had an outbreak of the H1N1, they say if you piss blue, your in trouble, a friend of mine was tagged, and was removed from general population, once he returned, he looked awful, and told me he thought he was going to die; He was required to wear a white mask over his nose and mouth up until the time I left. I suppose that's a lower form of quarantine in a homeless shelter... Often times the medical staff didn't have the necessary medications, and we were forbidden to use certain items when sick, such as Nyquil, and Robitussin, due to some of the ingredients. Each night, or on demand, we were subject to what they call a "PBT", to ensure we were not breaking any rules regarding alcohol consumption. If you were caught in violation, they would kick you out of the shelter, regardless of weather conditions, before my arrival, I was told a woman froze to death under a bridge because she was kicked out for drinking.
I witnessed a few issues firsthand... One incident, this younger kid was bad mouthing a staff member as everyone was lined up for lunch, and he kicked him out of the shelter, I heard him asking for a sandwich, and was denied, as the rest of us were getting our tray food. Up till Thanksgiving, countless Turkey's were being donated to the shelter, and every day you would see staff members putting turkeys in their trunks to take home for themselves. Come Thanksgiving, we had two days of turkey, then that was it! Staff members ate in their own staff room, because they were too good to eat with the rest of us, and would set certain donated foods aside for themselves, that we would not get, one example is cheese. But I was only allowed to go in the staff room, when it was empty; They had a piano, which I liked to play, and whether or not I got to play on it, depended on who was on duty at the time. One staff member said, "Sure! No problem!", while another staff member would say "Sorry, your not allowed to be in there!"
Now to work detail... This is sort of complicated, I'll try and explain it as best I remember! Every new individual, excluding those that have been through the system before, get 1 week of light duty, with only morning duties, and voluntary duties you sign up for during the 3 meals of the day. For me, I swept and moped the downstairs area including the medical clinic, up the staircases on both ends. Thank God I didn't have to do the barracks, that would have been more complicated for me, with all the beds in the way. I had it easy! Just sweep and mop, how hard can that be!
I recall they had to put a sign up on the wall, which I took a photo of, "Please keep your feet off the walls!", because obviously they didn't like walking on the floors!
Another sign I took a photo of was the one near the phone which read, "Out of Order! That means it doesn't work!", on top of which someone wrote "...but can you still use it?"
The Shelter
What would I do if I were in charge of a Homeless Shelter! I've lived in a homeless shelter for several months, so I know the routine, and I know the abuses as well.
Before I tell you how I would run a shelter, I will share with you what I recall from my experiences, to give you an ideal of how we can improve things today...
While in the company of others we tend to choose more compassionate words, but what escapes at other times is a contrary attitude towards them, "Bum! Get a job!" So my experience in a particular shelter was mostly that of working.
Typical procedure 1) talk to a counselor, give personal information, details, they ask if you have a bank account, and how much money you have on you at the time 2) They determine if you meet the requirements, if so, they go over the rules, expectations, ask you if you require anything, then provide you with the basic's, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. If you have clothing needs, they may or may not be able to accommodate you. 3) Then they show you to your bunk. After that they just become a familiar face the rest of the time.
I was in a room larger than the one I was in at the orphanage as a child; Housing about 40-50 males of varying ages, we all slept on bunk beds, no privacy during shower time, and only a curtain for restroom functions. First day you get there you are okay, but a day or two later you develop what is known as "kennel cough", which doesn't go away, until you leave the facility, at which time it goes away eventually. It feels like smokers cough, but more consistent. You have a higher chance of contracting various sicknesses and diseases such as the flu, TB, and we had an outbreak of the H1N1, they say if you piss blue, your in trouble, a friend of mine was tagged, and was removed from general population, once he returned, he looked awful, and told me he thought he was going to die; He was required to wear a white mask over his nose and mouth up until the time I left. I suppose that's a lower form of quarantine in a homeless shelter... Often times the medical staff didn't have the necessary medications, and we were forbidden to use certain items when sick, such as Nyquil, and Robitussin, due to some of the ingredients. Each night, or on demand, we were subject to what they call a "PBT", to ensure we were not breaking any rules regarding alcohol consumption. If you were caught in violation, they would kick you out of the shelter, regardless of weather conditions, before my arrival, I was told a woman froze to death under a bridge because she was kicked out for drinking.
I witnessed a few issues firsthand... One incident, this younger kid was bad mouthing a staff member as everyone was lined up for lunch, and he kicked him out of the shelter, I heard him asking for a sandwich, and was denied, as the rest of us were getting our tray food. Up till Thanksgiving, countless Turkey's were being donated to the shelter, and every day you would see staff members putting turkeys in their trunks to take home for themselves. Come Thanksgiving, we had two days of turkey, then that was it! Staff members ate in their own staff room, because they were too good to eat with the rest of us, and would set certain donated foods aside for themselves, that we would not get, one example is cheese. But I was only allowed to go in the staff room, when it was empty; They had a piano, which I liked to play, and whether or not I got to play on it, depended on who was on duty at the time. One staff member said, "Sure! No problem!", while another staff member would say "Sorry, your not allowed to be in there!"
Now to work detail... This is sort of complicated, I'll try and explain it as best I remember! Every new individual, excluding those that have been through the system before, get 1 week of light duty, with only morning duties, and voluntary duties you sign up for during the 3 meals of the day. For me, I swept and moped the downstairs area including the medical clinic, up the staircases on both ends. Thank God I didn't have to do the barracks, that would have been more complicated for me, with all the beds in the way. I had it easy! Just sweep and mop, how hard can that be!
I recall they had to put a sign up on the wall, which I took a photo of, "Please keep your feet off the walls!", because obviously they didn't like walking on the floors!
Another sign I took a photo of was the one near the phone which read, "Out of Order! That means it doesn't work!", on top of which someone wrote "...but can you still use it?"
Typical day my first week... Wake up early, don't remember the time off hand, take a shower, get dressed, gather everything you could possibly need for the entire day, because unless you are a Vet, you are not allowed back into the room, until past 6pm, unless you have special permission and someone to escort you to ensure you do not steal anything that belongs to someone else. Although I've heard rumors that the staff members were stealing, but they were only rumors... They claim to change the combination locks on the lockers every so often, but that's a lie, because I had the same combination the entire time I was there, and what would happen is, someone who may have had your previous bed, knows your combination and can steal your stuff. We had some theft occur while I was there.
Then I begin my morning duties of emptying the trash in all the offices, sweeping and moping the floors, then it's breakfast time. Morning time was a happy time for me, even though the hardest part In the morning is waking up, but once your up, and life and situation settles in, it's all kosher from that point on, just put a smile on your face, and I liked to sing as I worked, some times they'd tell me to shut up, but I liked the way my voice echoed through the hallways. That's an American thing I guess, not supposed to enjoy your work, so don't sing, it may annoy others who want to be snobs!
I was so free of the American way of life, that so drove me weary and suicidal, no throwing all my hard earned money into the land lords pockets, and surviving off scraps, I was truly free from all that makes American life so painful and agonizing!
Have you ever cashed your check, looked at that large lump of green paper in your hands, and realize that most of it was going to the landlord? That's what It means to be American! I remember when rent was $225 a month, now I pay $650! Rent has almost tripled since my first apartment at between 20 to 21 years of age, till now, being 45 years of age. There's a valid reason, I know, things do not happen without reason, they probably found a natural gas deposit, or oil deposit, that would explain the rent hike! I hear Israel just found a deposit, bet their rent went up too!
Then I begin my morning duties of emptying the trash in all the offices, sweeping and moping the floors, then it's breakfast time. Morning time was a happy time for me, even though the hardest part In the morning is waking up, but once your up, and life and situation settles in, it's all kosher from that point on, just put a smile on your face, and I liked to sing as I worked, some times they'd tell me to shut up, but I liked the way my voice echoed through the hallways. That's an American thing I guess, not supposed to enjoy your work, so don't sing, it may annoy others who want to be snobs!
I was so free of the American way of life, that so drove me weary and suicidal, no throwing all my hard earned money into the land lords pockets, and surviving off scraps, I was truly free from all that makes American life so painful and agonizing!
Have you ever cashed your check, looked at that large lump of green paper in your hands, and realize that most of it was going to the landlord? That's what It means to be American! I remember when rent was $225 a month, now I pay $650! Rent has almost tripled since my first apartment at between 20 to 21 years of age, till now, being 45 years of age. There's a valid reason, I know, things do not happen without reason, they probably found a natural gas deposit, or oil deposit, that would explain the rent hike! I hear Israel just found a deposit, bet their rent went up too!
I'm sitting at the table, and I just got done doing my morning chores, so I'm not to thrilled about signing up for the breakfast cleaning duties. I just wait for others to sign the sheet attached to a clipboard. Once I recall we got to hear the Jesuit speech which made us all feel like little children...
"You know?", as though we didn't, but he was reminding us, all the same, "Each and every one of you should be down on your knees kissing our shoes that we are here to provide you these services! When I walk into this room, there shouldn't be a single empty slot on that job sheet! No one is eating, until every slot on that sheet is full!", then he walks out of the room, or more like, barges out... Keep in mind this is a Christian shelter, or at least the words were there! Cornerstone Rescue Mission, 30 Main St, Rapid City, South Dakota. The homeless people there knew me as Cherokee, some of the staff, one woman in particular, named "Dars", called me by either name, "Harold", or "Cherokee". I recall one time she got on the horn and made this great speech I never forgot...
I have a photo of her as well, and since she's not Native, didn't cost me any smokes to trap her spirit on photo paper!
"Attention! Attention! Please don't ask me for cigarettes, I don't make much money working here, and I can't afford to be giving out cigarettes to everyone! Thank you!"
That didn't stop them from asking her though, and that's when she would get on the horn, "Cherokee, will you please come to the front desk! Thank you!", then she would ask me to give my cigarettes away, which I didn't have a problem with, I was known to give out tobacco especially to the Indians. 16 oz bag of tobacco would cost me over $7 dollars, and would last me a week if I were lucky, now that I'm out, the same amount of tobacco lasts me about a month, that's how much tobacco I gave out!
When I ran out of tobacco, I would go digging in the ash trays, that was sad, because some people were so mean, they would spit in the ashtrays, so others wouldn't take the tobacco that didn't get smoked. I have a friend of mine I met, named Mike Bakke who still lives in Rapid City, last I was in touch, he worked at a cemetery or Golf Course, not sure which, but he was staying with me in the homeless shelter and we kept in touch many years following; I made it out of the shelter, and so did he!
I discovered that many people do not belong in the homeless shelters, just good people caught up in bad situations, and Mike Bakke was one of the good guys! I'm not going to mention every little detail that occurred, just the memorable ones.
Mike Bakke was definitely a memorable person worthy of remembering!
"You know?", as though we didn't, but he was reminding us, all the same, "Each and every one of you should be down on your knees kissing our shoes that we are here to provide you these services! When I walk into this room, there shouldn't be a single empty slot on that job sheet! No one is eating, until every slot on that sheet is full!", then he walks out of the room, or more like, barges out... Keep in mind this is a Christian shelter, or at least the words were there! Cornerstone Rescue Mission, 30 Main St, Rapid City, South Dakota. The homeless people there knew me as Cherokee, some of the staff, one woman in particular, named "Dars", called me by either name, "Harold", or "Cherokee". I recall one time she got on the horn and made this great speech I never forgot...
I have a photo of her as well, and since she's not Native, didn't cost me any smokes to trap her spirit on photo paper!
"Attention! Attention! Please don't ask me for cigarettes, I don't make much money working here, and I can't afford to be giving out cigarettes to everyone! Thank you!"
That didn't stop them from asking her though, and that's when she would get on the horn, "Cherokee, will you please come to the front desk! Thank you!", then she would ask me to give my cigarettes away, which I didn't have a problem with, I was known to give out tobacco especially to the Indians. 16 oz bag of tobacco would cost me over $7 dollars, and would last me a week if I were lucky, now that I'm out, the same amount of tobacco lasts me about a month, that's how much tobacco I gave out!
When I ran out of tobacco, I would go digging in the ash trays, that was sad, because some people were so mean, they would spit in the ashtrays, so others wouldn't take the tobacco that didn't get smoked. I have a friend of mine I met, named Mike Bakke who still lives in Rapid City, last I was in touch, he worked at a cemetery or Golf Course, not sure which, but he was staying with me in the homeless shelter and we kept in touch many years following; I made it out of the shelter, and so did he!
I discovered that many people do not belong in the homeless shelters, just good people caught up in bad situations, and Mike Bakke was one of the good guys! I'm not going to mention every little detail that occurred, just the memorable ones.
Mike Bakke was definitely a memorable person worthy of remembering!
Still sitting at the table, waiting for the room to be filled. Lots of people from outside the shelter came to eat as well, not just people living in the shelter. Looking back, I must have been a sight for sore eyes when I first arrived... I had lost hope in Government, and life itself, and when that happens I usually run off to some place somewhere where I don't know anyone, that led me to Alaska, then South Dakota; I always felt I had to run away to somewhere, maybe to die, or find something I couldn't find where I was... This particular time, it led me to Pierre, South Dakota, so forgive me if I backtrack a bit, because some of you may be wondering how I got there to begin with!
I was going to walk from Dallas, Tx to Pine Ridge Reservation, and had it all mapped out on paper. Two things happened... Some Indians online talked me out of going to Pine Ridge, because it was a death trap for whites, even if I didn't consider myself white, they can't read my mind to see that I'm not white, because it wasn't apparent anywhere else, that I may not be white!
When I was a child I always wanted to be an indian... So having been fed up with the white mans way of life, I decided I was going to be an indian, and I took an old nickname given to me by some Mexicans I worked with, "Cherokee", which was on my construction helmet, and the fact that I have Cherokee in me, not sure which parts though, perhaps a toe or two, possibly my pinkie toe, cause that was always different than the rest.
So the bus ride took over a day, and I had some peace for the trip, not worrying about what I would do when I got off the bus, because I didn't have a destination, nor did I know anyone in that city. The City was my oyster shell, until the cops showed up, noticing I was sort of a stranger, asked me my business, then basically told me I had two days to get out of the city or they would arrest me for being homeless, I mean, "vagrant". They do not have a homeless shelter in Pierre, SD. So they directed me to Griffith Park, and gave me two days to get out of dodge! I was carrying all of my luggage, which didn't make it any easier.
I was going to walk from Dallas, Tx to Pine Ridge Reservation, and had it all mapped out on paper. Two things happened... Some Indians online talked me out of going to Pine Ridge, because it was a death trap for whites, even if I didn't consider myself white, they can't read my mind to see that I'm not white, because it wasn't apparent anywhere else, that I may not be white!
When I was a child I always wanted to be an indian... So having been fed up with the white mans way of life, I decided I was going to be an indian, and I took an old nickname given to me by some Mexicans I worked with, "Cherokee", which was on my construction helmet, and the fact that I have Cherokee in me, not sure which parts though, perhaps a toe or two, possibly my pinkie toe, cause that was always different than the rest.
So the bus ride took over a day, and I had some peace for the trip, not worrying about what I would do when I got off the bus, because I didn't have a destination, nor did I know anyone in that city. The City was my oyster shell, until the cops showed up, noticing I was sort of a stranger, asked me my business, then basically told me I had two days to get out of the city or they would arrest me for being homeless, I mean, "vagrant". They do not have a homeless shelter in Pierre, SD. So they directed me to Griffith Park, and gave me two days to get out of dodge! I was carrying all of my luggage, which didn't make it any easier.
So having been given a destination by the Cops, I no longer felt without destination! I made my way to Griffith Park, and I saw trailers, a big lake, some picnic tables, and still had a lot of daylight left. There was a community shower room but a short walking distance. That's handy to know in the event I ever want to smell good! But I wasn't here to smell good, I was here to be an indian! In fact, I was wearing deer skin colored leather, and dressed like an indian, without the feathers, didn't want to be too insulting to the real ones who were not pretending.
Before you go off assuming things, it wasn't my great inner Cherokee instincts that allowed me to find all these things and I wasn't using astrology, astronomy, or reading the signs of the earth... I wasn't even following the North Star! So how did I find the shower, and the bar?
When I first arrived, the first thing I saw was a big Welcome sign, so I started walking up to the sign, and that's when she appeared... Washtalia, that's what she said her name was, and she was a real indian! Washtay means something like, "It is good", don't ask me what tailia means!
She showed me the ropes, and kept me out of trouble, helped me spend most of my money in the process, and surprisingly enough, didn't leave me out to hang, when I was broke, but she was in the same predicament as me, and was on her way to a homeless shelter she knew of in Rapid City, so she took me to a place that funded me a bus ticket to Rapid City. Meanwhile we had a day to waste before that would happen. We went to the bar, I had half a beer, because I'm not a big fan of deer piss, and boy, was she a drinker, she made up for any beer that I didn't drink, and food as well, because I couldn't have her going hungry. I just happened to have the only sleeping bag, and all she had was the clothes she was wearing and her baggage which she let me carry due to her back problems. So there I was carrying my load and her load the entire time.
I started doing what was instinctual to my inner indian and began picking up pretty rocks by the lake! No one said Indians didn't do that! I still have those purty rocks to this day! Nighttime began to fall, and I let Washtalia use my sleeping bag, and me and Pookie slept on a picnic table out under the night sky, with the stars hanging high. Rule of thumb, is never sleep on the ground, or else rodents may peck your eyes out in your sleep, or wolf spiders may nest up in your hair, leaving bites all over your body, or you may wake up snuggled next to some venomous snake.
It was cool that night, and I didn't really sleep that good, because I still had the stress of life on me, not knowing what to expect. Next day, we met these ex-aim members, and hung out with them a bit, they were old Indians, loved to drink, but another rule of thumb, never get drunk in the midst of injuns, unless you know them very well and trust them. I was kind of nervous around them, because all the guys were in one car, and the girls were in another, that set off flags in my head, that maybe I was going to die! I bought them a case of beer, and I only drank one, because I don't fancy the taste of deer piss, as I've said before, so they ended up getting drunk instead of me.
Meanwhile I told them I wanted to write a book about the end of the world, taking the Indians perspective, the name of the book would be called, "Return of the Ghost Dance". It was prophesied long ago, that one day the Earth would turn green, the mountains would open up, the buffalo would return, and Indians would no longer fight amongst themselves, but live as brothers. I learned very quickly that it was rather an insult to have a white man tell an indian, indian history, and the reminded me that everything I learned in school was a lie, regarding Indian History.
I accepted their views, and gave up on the story, because I felt they were right! Only an indian can tell an indian story! So they ended up getting drunk, and I was sober, but the problem you see, is I wasn't driving, nor did I know how... You ever been in a car with a drunk injun whose driving a car? The only thing good I had going for me was at least he was a happy drunk, instead of a scalping drunk!
Before you go off assuming things, it wasn't my great inner Cherokee instincts that allowed me to find all these things and I wasn't using astrology, astronomy, or reading the signs of the earth... I wasn't even following the North Star! So how did I find the shower, and the bar?
When I first arrived, the first thing I saw was a big Welcome sign, so I started walking up to the sign, and that's when she appeared... Washtalia, that's what she said her name was, and she was a real indian! Washtay means something like, "It is good", don't ask me what tailia means!
She showed me the ropes, and kept me out of trouble, helped me spend most of my money in the process, and surprisingly enough, didn't leave me out to hang, when I was broke, but she was in the same predicament as me, and was on her way to a homeless shelter she knew of in Rapid City, so she took me to a place that funded me a bus ticket to Rapid City. Meanwhile we had a day to waste before that would happen. We went to the bar, I had half a beer, because I'm not a big fan of deer piss, and boy, was she a drinker, she made up for any beer that I didn't drink, and food as well, because I couldn't have her going hungry. I just happened to have the only sleeping bag, and all she had was the clothes she was wearing and her baggage which she let me carry due to her back problems. So there I was carrying my load and her load the entire time.
I started doing what was instinctual to my inner indian and began picking up pretty rocks by the lake! No one said Indians didn't do that! I still have those purty rocks to this day! Nighttime began to fall, and I let Washtalia use my sleeping bag, and me and Pookie slept on a picnic table out under the night sky, with the stars hanging high. Rule of thumb, is never sleep on the ground, or else rodents may peck your eyes out in your sleep, or wolf spiders may nest up in your hair, leaving bites all over your body, or you may wake up snuggled next to some venomous snake.
It was cool that night, and I didn't really sleep that good, because I still had the stress of life on me, not knowing what to expect. Next day, we met these ex-aim members, and hung out with them a bit, they were old Indians, loved to drink, but another rule of thumb, never get drunk in the midst of injuns, unless you know them very well and trust them. I was kind of nervous around them, because all the guys were in one car, and the girls were in another, that set off flags in my head, that maybe I was going to die! I bought them a case of beer, and I only drank one, because I don't fancy the taste of deer piss, as I've said before, so they ended up getting drunk instead of me.
Meanwhile I told them I wanted to write a book about the end of the world, taking the Indians perspective, the name of the book would be called, "Return of the Ghost Dance". It was prophesied long ago, that one day the Earth would turn green, the mountains would open up, the buffalo would return, and Indians would no longer fight amongst themselves, but live as brothers. I learned very quickly that it was rather an insult to have a white man tell an indian, indian history, and the reminded me that everything I learned in school was a lie, regarding Indian History.
I accepted their views, and gave up on the story, because I felt they were right! Only an indian can tell an indian story! So they ended up getting drunk, and I was sober, but the problem you see, is I wasn't driving, nor did I know how... You ever been in a car with a drunk injun whose driving a car? The only thing good I had going for me was at least he was a happy drunk, instead of a scalping drunk!
How I met them... I was walking towards the lake, and this lone figure with long black hair starts to approach me, when he arrives to me, he starts speaking what appears to be Lakota... Turns out, he was an actor in an indian movie at some time. But indian actors don't fare as well in Hollywood as white actors do, that's the truth! They don't live in mansions and have big parties, with endless supplies of money and women, etc. They live pretty much off set as they do onset, as who they are portraying, ...themselves! He introduced me to his friends, some of them ex-aim members from the 1970's incident between them and the goons.
I liked those people, but honest truth, I never imagined myself living with the Lakota... I had pictured myself living with the Crow, which I would later find out to be the enemies of the Lakota, even to this day they hold resentments to each other, because it was the Crow that had helped put them on the reservation, and the Government is still punishing the Lakota as they were the last tribe who held out against the white man's way of life.
...while in the car, they were drunk, and I was terrified, because we were driving on a narrow road that ran off a cliff, and we almost went over, till Washtalia decided she wanted to live, and got in the drivers seat, being that she was somewhat more sober than the rest and able to drive.
It's true kids, listen to what they say, "Don't drink and drive!"
They took me to Mt. Rushmore, I believe it is, it was some place where a bunch of people got bored and carved some faces into a side of the cliff, and there was a famous dam there too. Then they drove me to see some tipi's, and a real sweat lodge for purification. One other funny incident, that occurred at this time; One of the Indians started speaking Lakota, I didn't know what he was saying, and he knew it, but he got out of the car to go take a piss, when he shut the door, another indian said, "Don't mind him! He doesn't even know what he's saying, that's not even Lakota!"
That was the extent of my adventure in Pierre, South Dakota.
I liked those people, but honest truth, I never imagined myself living with the Lakota... I had pictured myself living with the Crow, which I would later find out to be the enemies of the Lakota, even to this day they hold resentments to each other, because it was the Crow that had helped put them on the reservation, and the Government is still punishing the Lakota as they were the last tribe who held out against the white man's way of life.
...while in the car, they were drunk, and I was terrified, because we were driving on a narrow road that ran off a cliff, and we almost went over, till Washtalia decided she wanted to live, and got in the drivers seat, being that she was somewhat more sober than the rest and able to drive.
It's true kids, listen to what they say, "Don't drink and drive!"
They took me to Mt. Rushmore, I believe it is, it was some place where a bunch of people got bored and carved some faces into a side of the cliff, and there was a famous dam there too. Then they drove me to see some tipi's, and a real sweat lodge for purification. One other funny incident, that occurred at this time; One of the Indians started speaking Lakota, I didn't know what he was saying, and he knew it, but he got out of the car to go take a piss, when he shut the door, another indian said, "Don't mind him! He doesn't even know what he's saying, that's not even Lakota!"
That was the extent of my adventure in Pierre, South Dakota.
We hoped on the bus the next day, being the 2nd day, and we were off to Rapid City, South Dakota's Homeless Shelter where I would spend the next 3 months.
...so now back on track, sitting at the breakfast table having done my morning chores, everyone is seated, then the staff comes in, checks the chore list, then he starts calling people by group, women and children first, then Veterans second, then everyone else last. Waiting was never a problem for me, specially as how the food wasn't nothing to really run for. We were all gonna get our spoon full sooner or later! Was it going to be good, or would it taste like vomit! Keep In mind, this is South Dakota, not Dallas, Tx, which means, we don't always get the kind of meat one would expect in a big White City.
We ate a lot of, ...what kind of meat was that? Buffalo, or deer, it was disgusting most of the time, and the soup at times tasted like vomit! A lot of it were donations from hunters. I just didn't grow up on wild meat, or deer, so it was rather disgusting to me! I was raised on the tame domesticated cow, and the beloved feathery chicken!
We were allowed to go back for seconds, if there were any, after everyone had eaten!
Prior to that day I had never had food stamps, so Washtalia taught me how to sign up for them, and they gave me $200 a month in food stamps, which they give everyone who has never applied for them before. I used my food stamps to eat decent food!
Some had a way of trading out the card, letting others buy food, in exchange for cigarettes. I didn't do that, but I did give my card to Washtalia once, because she said her grandmother didn't have any food, and allowed her to spend $70 on food, but rumor has it, someone told me she spent the money on a big BBQ and invited her friends, spending more than the allocated amount, leaving very little on the card, so I suffered till the next month. No big deal, I forgave her; Life is more important than being stingy!
...so now back on track, sitting at the breakfast table having done my morning chores, everyone is seated, then the staff comes in, checks the chore list, then he starts calling people by group, women and children first, then Veterans second, then everyone else last. Waiting was never a problem for me, specially as how the food wasn't nothing to really run for. We were all gonna get our spoon full sooner or later! Was it going to be good, or would it taste like vomit! Keep In mind, this is South Dakota, not Dallas, Tx, which means, we don't always get the kind of meat one would expect in a big White City.
We ate a lot of, ...what kind of meat was that? Buffalo, or deer, it was disgusting most of the time, and the soup at times tasted like vomit! A lot of it were donations from hunters. I just didn't grow up on wild meat, or deer, so it was rather disgusting to me! I was raised on the tame domesticated cow, and the beloved feathery chicken!
We were allowed to go back for seconds, if there were any, after everyone had eaten!
Prior to that day I had never had food stamps, so Washtalia taught me how to sign up for them, and they gave me $200 a month in food stamps, which they give everyone who has never applied for them before. I used my food stamps to eat decent food!
Some had a way of trading out the card, letting others buy food, in exchange for cigarettes. I didn't do that, but I did give my card to Washtalia once, because she said her grandmother didn't have any food, and allowed her to spend $70 on food, but rumor has it, someone told me she spent the money on a big BBQ and invited her friends, spending more than the allocated amount, leaving very little on the card, so I suffered till the next month. No big deal, I forgave her; Life is more important than being stingy!
That's where I met Charles Poorthunder! He died a few years back, long after I had been out of the shelter, which occurred back in 2009, he died some years after. When I knew him he was old, and broken up, only half his body working due to a stroke. He was a mess. But we got along for the most part, he could be stubborn at times, but I helped him out a lot, while I was there.
I did various things for Charles during my stay. I stood in line for him during meal times, and helped him with his medications. Once incident could have been disastrous had I not been there, during one medication session, they made it clear it's not their job to administer medications, or "babysit", so Charles started to take some medications, and I stopped him, read the back of the pill box, and it was over the dose he was supposed to be taking. One time we were sitting out in the smoke shop, and we had to call an ambulance for him, which he wasn't too happy about, he came back a day later, all pissed off, and going on about how he never wanted to go back, because they stuck needles in him. I wouldn't want to go back there either, if they'd done that to me!
The is Tom, the Cane Man, in a solemn moment in the smoke shack; The only designated place we're allowed to smoke. They call him the "Cane Man" because he constructs these amazing walking canes with embedded jewels and what not's, sold lots of them, some for around $70 dollars, depending on how much work he puts into it!
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This is Tom's Ride, and he's been all over the place. Tom is one of the friendliest guys you could meet in a homeless shelter; He gave me the cellphone case I still use for my phone to this day! He said it wasn't going to do him any good!
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After my week of easy life ended, doing my morning chores, and at times volunteering for kitchen duty, began my normal schedule. You can pay $7 dollars a day, or work 4 hours a day, equivalent to ($7 x 4), on top of any work detail normally assigned. Sometimes I'd do my job, and be out smoking when a staff member would walk up and ask me if I would do someone else's job, because they didn't show up as promised. That was never a problem; I didn't have much anything else to do, and depending on the staff member, this particular one at the time, was kind to me, so I would go out of my way to help him out. Which meant other favors for me down the line, like, perhaps I'd get to play on the piano on my off time in the staff room.
I elected to work the 4 hours a day, because if I came across any money, it went towards tobacco, which was my own form of stress remover, and has been most of my life. So I'd get up in the mornings, do my normal chores, then eat breakfast, then it's time for my 4 hours of work, then meal time, then if I volunteered, or was asked to do someone else's work, I'd do that, then goof off, smoke cigarettes in the smoke room, chat, and ponder life and the thoughts therein my head. Or I'd go to the library and pretend to live past glories, trying to prove to myself that I was still worth something in the computer field.
One work detail they took us out to the field, we stood in a long line, this was in the Black Hills, on someone's property, and started picking up rocks and raking the ground searching for other rocks to pick up. Hours later, the guy that was paying the shelter, cutting the staff member a check on behalf of the Mission, for the work we were doing to pay our room and board, he said if we get done in such and such time, that he would give us each $10, that put another wind of excitement in all of us, and we worked extra hard, because $10 bucks meant 16 oz of tobacco, and a few bucks left over.
Another time they drove me to the Women's shelter which is in a different location, and I had this big sickle like blade, shopping back and forth, the long yellow grass, that wasn't very exciting. And I was in a rather bad mood that day! Then they put me in the Thrift Store. The Cornerstone Mission owned a Thrift store where they take donations, slap a price tag on them, and put them up for sell, and people from the Homeless Shelter work in the thrift store collecting donations, sorting them out, free labor for them, as we work for our room and board 4 hours a day. I washed windows, swept and moped floors, ...that was funny, because he told me what to do, but didn't tell me when to stop, so I cleaned the next door neighbors windows too, as the window kept going and going, they should have put a stop sign up to tell me when the end of one shop is, and the beginning of the next!
I elected to work the 4 hours a day, because if I came across any money, it went towards tobacco, which was my own form of stress remover, and has been most of my life. So I'd get up in the mornings, do my normal chores, then eat breakfast, then it's time for my 4 hours of work, then meal time, then if I volunteered, or was asked to do someone else's work, I'd do that, then goof off, smoke cigarettes in the smoke room, chat, and ponder life and the thoughts therein my head. Or I'd go to the library and pretend to live past glories, trying to prove to myself that I was still worth something in the computer field.
One work detail they took us out to the field, we stood in a long line, this was in the Black Hills, on someone's property, and started picking up rocks and raking the ground searching for other rocks to pick up. Hours later, the guy that was paying the shelter, cutting the staff member a check on behalf of the Mission, for the work we were doing to pay our room and board, he said if we get done in such and such time, that he would give us each $10, that put another wind of excitement in all of us, and we worked extra hard, because $10 bucks meant 16 oz of tobacco, and a few bucks left over.
Another time they drove me to the Women's shelter which is in a different location, and I had this big sickle like blade, shopping back and forth, the long yellow grass, that wasn't very exciting. And I was in a rather bad mood that day! Then they put me in the Thrift Store. The Cornerstone Mission owned a Thrift store where they take donations, slap a price tag on them, and put them up for sell, and people from the Homeless Shelter work in the thrift store collecting donations, sorting them out, free labor for them, as we work for our room and board 4 hours a day. I washed windows, swept and moped floors, ...that was funny, because he told me what to do, but didn't tell me when to stop, so I cleaned the next door neighbors windows too, as the window kept going and going, they should have put a stop sign up to tell me when the end of one shop is, and the beginning of the next!
Then they moved me from the Thrift Shop to work on a special project, and that's where I met Boston, shown above in the photo's. Turns out the Mission didn't want to pay taxes to the Government, so they got us together, and we helped build the Chapel in the basement of the facility. It used to be a police station a long time back, and the smoke shed was donated from a hospital, that's the story I heard.
I did 7 months construction, and I was somewhat of an important guy, and everyone really counted on me, ...no actually that's what I wish I could have said, but the truth is I was just a gofer boy, go for this, go for that! So I was hauling concrete rocks and debris up the elevator and out into a dump truck, because they obviously had some law where if you have a church facility you can get out of paying taxes. So they put the chapel inside the Homeless Shelter! Boston did the carpentry, and I gave him moral support when I wasn't hauling up rocks! Honest truth I can't even read a ruler!
I'm surprised I can read the signs of the times!
It was at this shelter I met Jerome Phillips, a man of many talents, the only one being true, was the only one he never admitted to... Con Artist!
I did 7 months construction, and I was somewhat of an important guy, and everyone really counted on me, ...no actually that's what I wish I could have said, but the truth is I was just a gofer boy, go for this, go for that! So I was hauling concrete rocks and debris up the elevator and out into a dump truck, because they obviously had some law where if you have a church facility you can get out of paying taxes. So they put the chapel inside the Homeless Shelter! Boston did the carpentry, and I gave him moral support when I wasn't hauling up rocks! Honest truth I can't even read a ruler!
I'm surprised I can read the signs of the times!
It was at this shelter I met Jerome Phillips, a man of many talents, the only one being true, was the only one he never admitted to... Con Artist!
This is Jerome "Jerry" Phillips, and he took me for a ride, I lost a bit of money through his scam. But I forgive him!
Said his former boss offered him a job at a bakery shop as a manager, and he was going to give me a job. He said his sister was the manager of an apartment complex in Sioux Falls, and would give me an apartment rent free, since I helped him out so much. |
So that was great, I had an apartment lined up, a job in Sioux Falls, I couldn't wait to tell my mom how life was picking back up... I had reapplied for Social Security Disability, it was my 3rd time, went to all the appointments, they did more tests on me there then they cared to do in Texas. I guess they don't care that much in Texas, they just assume everyone is abusing the system. But I was amazed at the level of care they gave me for my eyes, at the Black Hills Eye Institute; In Texas it was so vague and basic, then they turn you down. Difference between people who care and people who are just cold and indifferent!
In the Bible it says in the last days, love will grow cold, and people will be lovers of themselves... Imagine that, love grows cold, do you know what that means? That means it will affect the food you eat, the service you get, means no one will care about anyone but themselves, least of all if you had a good customer experience!
Anyway, I had just been accepted, and due to my circumstances they approved me for SSI, and when that ran out, they switched me over to RSDI, so I could finally get out of the Homeless shelter, was terrified of catching some virus, or disease in there, like my friend who contracted that H1N1. Some people have no ounce of respect, they will crap on the bathroom floors, they'll wipe themselves with the curtains... Some of the things a man goes through in those situations is just unbelievable! Some guys selling sexual favors for so much as a pack of smokes! Walk in a bathroom, there's blood on the sinks! That was one of my jobs by the way, to clean the bathrooms! It wasn't all peachy while I was there! The images I caught, they pretty much tell one story, but there's another story that camera's can't catch!
In the Bible it says in the last days, love will grow cold, and people will be lovers of themselves... Imagine that, love grows cold, do you know what that means? That means it will affect the food you eat, the service you get, means no one will care about anyone but themselves, least of all if you had a good customer experience!
Anyway, I had just been accepted, and due to my circumstances they approved me for SSI, and when that ran out, they switched me over to RSDI, so I could finally get out of the Homeless shelter, was terrified of catching some virus, or disease in there, like my friend who contracted that H1N1. Some people have no ounce of respect, they will crap on the bathroom floors, they'll wipe themselves with the curtains... Some of the things a man goes through in those situations is just unbelievable! Some guys selling sexual favors for so much as a pack of smokes! Walk in a bathroom, there's blood on the sinks! That was one of my jobs by the way, to clean the bathrooms! It wasn't all peachy while I was there! The images I caught, they pretty much tell one story, but there's another story that camera's can't catch!
After I had been approved, I moved out of the Homeless shelter, but looking back, things don't add up... His girlfriend had an apartment there, why did he need to room with me? We were going to get separate rooms, but he didn't have the money, so I agreed to pay for a two bedroom, on the premise that he would reimburse me, he accepted that verbally. But I've watched enough Judge Jeanine's to know verbal agreements mean squat... If it's not written down, and signed by both parties, the agreement means squat!
We got the apartment, it was better than living in the homeless shelter, and it was a real bed, with real privacy, I didn't have to obey any rules, lights out at this time, or be out of bed at that time, eat at this time, don't do this, don't do that, do this because someone else didn't do that, etc...
I was free'er, to go back to my selfish ways of being a white man!
So things were good, we had a plan, rent time came, an excuse came, no problem, things happen, I'll cover rent again... Next rent time, another excuse, then I was starting to get upset, but I didn't let it show, just handled it in my own way, by giving them the cold shoulder! If I make them disappear mentally, they do not exist, and therefore they do not bother me! That didn't work very well!
One time Joanne Hakime, my former boss got mad at me, and that means I got mad, because it takes two to get mad, right? Anyway, I took my glasses off, and she asked why I took my glasses off, and I said there wasn't nothing to see, that means, if I take my glasses off I can't see what I'm mad at, then everything is supposed to be fine...
That doesn't work all the times, or most of the times!
We got the apartment, it was better than living in the homeless shelter, and it was a real bed, with real privacy, I didn't have to obey any rules, lights out at this time, or be out of bed at that time, eat at this time, don't do this, don't do that, do this because someone else didn't do that, etc...
I was free'er, to go back to my selfish ways of being a white man!
So things were good, we had a plan, rent time came, an excuse came, no problem, things happen, I'll cover rent again... Next rent time, another excuse, then I was starting to get upset, but I didn't let it show, just handled it in my own way, by giving them the cold shoulder! If I make them disappear mentally, they do not exist, and therefore they do not bother me! That didn't work very well!
One time Joanne Hakime, my former boss got mad at me, and that means I got mad, because it takes two to get mad, right? Anyway, I took my glasses off, and she asked why I took my glasses off, and I said there wasn't nothing to see, that means, if I take my glasses off I can't see what I'm mad at, then everything is supposed to be fine...
That doesn't work all the times, or most of the times!
If something is upsetting you, don't look at it! Just close your eyes, and make it disappear :) Military people just pull the trigger and problem solved, we civvies don't have that luxury!
Christmas was rolling around, next rent time came, new excuse this time, gave me a bit of hope; Said his sister was had mailed the letter, should be getting it, and she included some extra spending money for us, along with the rent! I sure fell for that one, hook line and sinker, maybe I'm just a gullible person, but would you rather be stuck on an island of Harold's, or an island of Phillips, that's the difference!
Next rent time came, my patience had left as well... I knew I was being taken advantage of at that point, and pretty much booted him out, he said, "Well, can we still be friends?" I forgive ya man! It hurts a person more when they do not forgive, that's the problem!
Hate and resentment hurts the person hating, more than the person they are hating!
Main story here is completed, but I'm going to provide the rest of my photo's to you, so that you get an ideal of what it's like in a controlled situation like that...
Imagine 5 stages of existence...
1) Free 2) Homeless Shelter 3) Psychiatric Ward 4) Prison 5) Russian Prison
...numbered by severity 1 being the easiest to deal with 4 being the hardest! Russian prison is so bad, even the Russians hate it! They're usually comfortable no matter where they are, except the Russian Prisons.
You do NOT want Russians over HERE solving American problems, because when they get here, they're going to be pissed for having to do the jobs our own people are not doing! These people take baths in freezing cold weather outside, even the sharks are afraid of these people! Russians jump in the Ocean, the sharks jump out!
So who'd you rather be killed by, a Russian, or a shark? That's easy question, neither!
Christmas was rolling around, next rent time came, new excuse this time, gave me a bit of hope; Said his sister was had mailed the letter, should be getting it, and she included some extra spending money for us, along with the rent! I sure fell for that one, hook line and sinker, maybe I'm just a gullible person, but would you rather be stuck on an island of Harold's, or an island of Phillips, that's the difference!
Next rent time came, my patience had left as well... I knew I was being taken advantage of at that point, and pretty much booted him out, he said, "Well, can we still be friends?" I forgive ya man! It hurts a person more when they do not forgive, that's the problem!
Hate and resentment hurts the person hating, more than the person they are hating!
Main story here is completed, but I'm going to provide the rest of my photo's to you, so that you get an ideal of what it's like in a controlled situation like that...
Imagine 5 stages of existence...
1) Free 2) Homeless Shelter 3) Psychiatric Ward 4) Prison 5) Russian Prison
...numbered by severity 1 being the easiest to deal with 4 being the hardest! Russian prison is so bad, even the Russians hate it! They're usually comfortable no matter where they are, except the Russian Prisons.
You do NOT want Russians over HERE solving American problems, because when they get here, they're going to be pissed for having to do the jobs our own people are not doing! These people take baths in freezing cold weather outside, even the sharks are afraid of these people! Russians jump in the Ocean, the sharks jump out!
So who'd you rather be killed by, a Russian, or a shark? That's easy question, neither!
One story I forgot to mention of worthy note... While in the shelter, I met the "adopted" son, of the White Cloud family, or Red Cloud, it was one of those Clouds, and I gave him my $50 Gold Lakota piece, and as is a custom with Indians, to give you something in return, he gave me a book which I have to this day, called "Fools Crow"
He was living in the homeless shelter, guess it was safer for him there, so that he could go to school! Really nice person, I wish I could have met him again, but I never saw him again after that!
South Dakota wasn't what I expected, as far as Native Indians, I was expecting Tipi's and an old way of life, instead I lived with the Lakota in a homeless shelter, but they only stay there during the winter, and during the summer they prefer to sleep outside!
Do we really understand what we have done? God had never intended us to live this way! The Bible says if you do not work, you do not eat, but God never intended us to work for a piece of worthless paper to be enslaved to the corporation, He intended us to live as free as the Natives whose lives we have completely destroyed! Now do you understand? I recommend a movie if you do not understand...
He was living in the homeless shelter, guess it was safer for him there, so that he could go to school! Really nice person, I wish I could have met him again, but I never saw him again after that!
South Dakota wasn't what I expected, as far as Native Indians, I was expecting Tipi's and an old way of life, instead I lived with the Lakota in a homeless shelter, but they only stay there during the winter, and during the summer they prefer to sleep outside!
Do we really understand what we have done? God had never intended us to live this way! The Bible says if you do not work, you do not eat, but God never intended us to work for a piece of worthless paper to be enslaved to the corporation, He intended us to live as free as the Natives whose lives we have completely destroyed! Now do you understand? I recommend a movie if you do not understand...
Ishi Last of the Yahi
One of the most touching movies I've even seen, when he started weeping, made me cry as well...
He said, Do you know what the earth sounds like, then he knelt down and started weeping because his entire tribe had been wiped out!
One of the most touching movies I've even seen, when he started weeping, made me cry as well...
He said, Do you know what the earth sounds like, then he knelt down and started weeping because his entire tribe had been wiped out!
It says also in the Bible, ...that you may be entertaining angels! I've never seen an angel, but I'd like to say that Ishi may have survived for a reason, and was the last remnant of the life God meant us to live, to work for our daily food, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Do you see? Everything we touch, and have touched, becomes worthless, because of greedy men who always want more of a share, than the rest of us, who just want to live!
I didn't find this in South Dakota, instead I found a broken people, still being punished by the Government. Most stores in South Dakota are not owned by Native Indians, but the Whites. And I will leave you with a story just as sad, that I witnessed first hand!
The Story of Jim Ringingshield
Jim was a very nice and likeable guy, friendly to everyone, and we met often in the smoke shack. But this day was especially good for him, because after fighting so hard he won his chance to stand before a judge, and plead his case, submit his evidence for which he was confident he would win. He told everyone that day, in the smoke shed, "When I come back, I'm taking everyone in here out to lunch!", ...burgers and fries.
He borrowed a suit from a friend, and showed up in the smoke shack all spiffed up. His spirit was high, and confident. He had evidence proving corruption in the police department in Rapid City. Sadly, the Judge refused to accept the evidence into court, because it would put a blemish on the police department!
Jim Ringingshield came back more a broken man, and went on a drinking bing, got kicked out of the shelter. That was the last time I saw him! A part of me was broken, that the Judge acted so dishonorably, to protect the wicked, and punish the victim!
His ancestors were correct: White mans justice is only for the white man!
Perhaps if Ted Cruz sees this, he may inquire of the Homeless Shelter where Jim Ringingshield is, and give him another stay in Court, this time with JUSTICE!
To Jim Ringingshield:
If I ever meet Ted Cruz again, I will bring your case to his attention!
I still have contacts there in South Dakota, as well as at the shelter! But they've probably eaten the mascot by now!
I didn't find this in South Dakota, instead I found a broken people, still being punished by the Government. Most stores in South Dakota are not owned by Native Indians, but the Whites. And I will leave you with a story just as sad, that I witnessed first hand!
The Story of Jim Ringingshield
Jim was a very nice and likeable guy, friendly to everyone, and we met often in the smoke shack. But this day was especially good for him, because after fighting so hard he won his chance to stand before a judge, and plead his case, submit his evidence for which he was confident he would win. He told everyone that day, in the smoke shed, "When I come back, I'm taking everyone in here out to lunch!", ...burgers and fries.
He borrowed a suit from a friend, and showed up in the smoke shack all spiffed up. His spirit was high, and confident. He had evidence proving corruption in the police department in Rapid City. Sadly, the Judge refused to accept the evidence into court, because it would put a blemish on the police department!
Jim Ringingshield came back more a broken man, and went on a drinking bing, got kicked out of the shelter. That was the last time I saw him! A part of me was broken, that the Judge acted so dishonorably, to protect the wicked, and punish the victim!
His ancestors were correct: White mans justice is only for the white man!
Perhaps if Ted Cruz sees this, he may inquire of the Homeless Shelter where Jim Ringingshield is, and give him another stay in Court, this time with JUSTICE!
To Jim Ringingshield:
If I ever meet Ted Cruz again, I will bring your case to his attention!
I still have contacts there in South Dakota, as well as at the shelter! But they've probably eaten the mascot by now!
I don't know what kind of jeep this is, but it's parked outside the Fire Department, next to the shelter.
Do they really get paid that well? |
Still an unofficial debate as to if this applies to Whites, or Native Indians.
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Hasn't worked in over a month, even though the repair man showed up long enough to bill them for work he didn't do!
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My favorite place to hang out, away from the shelter life.
The official place where Vets are allowed to get drunk, just be sober by the time you reach the shelter!
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Rapid City is actually large enough to generate traffic!
This is where I slept. My canteen of water hanging on the side, because you can't be a real indian unless you have a canteen!
Laying on the bed is my beloved Teddie, "Pookie", but her real name is Miss Iris. Back in Dallas nearly 8 years later, that bear is still resting on my pillow, can't go to sleep without her. |
This is Angry Betty, the train that passes by the smoke shed several times a day, and when she blows her horn she's really loud.
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This is Bill after he's been awake for awhile. Do not put our hand on Bill to wake him up, because Bill is a Vet and will wake up swinging.
I learned that the hard way! |
This is Bill again, and some of those looks he gives, scares me, because I do not know what thoughts are going on in his head!
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This is Dean, who slept in the bunk next to me. He reminded me of Captain Rick Eastlick, Capt. of the boat I was on in Alaska, named the "Glacier Spirit". I think he died a few years back, but his boat is still around somewhere. After I left Capt. Eastlick lost another crew member, was in the news, coast guard never found him. My Alaska Adventures are another story, for another day.
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This is George, and I remember George very well. He was quite a likeable fellow, till he started drinking, then you'd better find some where's else to be fast! Me and George had a few good conversations, had a few things in common, he worked on oil rigs in Alaska, been to some of the places I've been to, namely, Sand Point, Alaska, an Island off the Aleutian chain, I believe about 500 miles away from the mainland, give or take a hundred, that's just the number I had floating in my head.
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I think this is Jack, that's the name on the photo, he's one of the top dogs, or "staff members" that help run the place, and was really nice to me. Great guy, him and his brother!
When my old combat boots broke down on me, he went to that storage in the background, and came out with a bran spanking new pair of desert combat boots, which I still wear to this day. Disclaimer: I was never in the military! I passed the ASVAB 2 out of three times, but I was born with a detached retina, and I have flat feet, 1st excuse was automatic disqualification, I could have hidden the flat feet, no one ever looks at your feet anyway, and if they was, I'd question their intentions! |
This is Jason, and to the right, is Jason working in the kitchen. He had gotten a job, life was looking up for him, till his first paycheck, someone knew when his payday was, and mugged him.
This is my beloved "Pookie", the beautiful one, next to some other unimportant bear not worthy of mentioning!
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This is some dude I slept near, didn't want to be left out of the photo shoot...
Really! I don't know who he is, I'm sure somebody somewhere does! And this was a nice expensive television that was donated to the shelter by Jim Goodrich. Funny story about this, the reason I remembered it, is because it was the same night I poked my eye on a leg while lifting the chair, and it really hurt something fierce.
We were eating popcorn that night, watching some Star Trek movie that was playing. Next day, Staff Member found popcorn on the floor, cause someone didn't do their job, and we all got punished, and restricted from watching the television for a period of time. One time I was in the kitchen washing dishes, and one of the lead staffer's was in there as well, washing dishes, and he turned to me and said, "You ever notice I'm the only Staff Member you see working back here?"
I was sort of offended, but kept it to myself. Do they want to be seen doing good deeds? I remember up till Thanksgiving, countless Turkey's were being donated, and every day up till Thanksgiving day, you'd see Staffers putting Turkeys in their cars for personal use, and the Shelter had 2 days of Turkey including Thanksgiving, and we didn't see Turkey after that! |
This is the famous smoke shed, and sometimes it gets so cold you just take a few puffs and head back on inside. One time I was smoking outside, and this indian chic walks up to me and asks me for a cigarette, to which I oblige her, and out of the blew she attacks me with a kiss on the cheek, which is bad, cause she said she was waiting on her boyfriend.
Reminds me of a saying they have in Alaska, "You don't lose your wife, just your turn!" But I'm not that kinda guy! I'm a one woman type of guy, or in my case, a one pillow type of guy! This is where I normally bought my 4-Aces Regular Pipe Tobacco from. A lot cheaper buying it there, than online! I usually walk alone, but that day I was with Mr. Phillips, as you can see his blue hat. He had a car that time, but I would walk that about maybe twice a week, maybe more if Charles Poorthunder needed tobacco.
This was my authentic foot!
I was running out of things to take photo's of... |
Out of order phone, but that never stops them from trying to use it! Repair man still charged for the work he didn't do, or at least that was the story I was told. When staff complains everyone hears about it, because that's what a homeless shelter is, one cozy place for drama, and we got that every day!
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Inside the dinning room area with Shawn and Robert!
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And that's about it for this adventure!
Thanks for watching :)
Thanks for watching :)