My office has a window on a very disturbing world.

From my desk I look out on a city park that is picturesque and well maintained. In all the years that I have been here I have seen just about everything, from drug busts to stabbings, some fatal. I opened my blinds one morning to see a flea circus had camped outside my window overnight and performers in their pajamas were making their way toward the park restrooms. Two weeks ago a young black bear was tranquilized not far from where I sit but unfortunately drowned in the creek that runs through the park before he could be rescued. There are many more humans in the park needing to be rescued.

Today I am looking out at lady who has occupied a nearby picnic table all summer. She arrives every morning with a shopping cart piled very high with what must be all her worldly belongings and a small cat in a carrier. She is in a wheelchair and, when no one is able to help her, she drags the cart with her toes as she wheels backward toward the table she has claimed as hers. I have no idea where she goes at night. Our long drought has finally ended so she is often under a blue plastic tarp that covers her, her shopping cart and her cat. She screams periodically, even on good days. I cannot make out what she is screaming about and have no idea what triggers the outbursts. In the spring and summer I bike to work and I have often passed her as she arranged her table for another day. I never had the courage to make eye contact nor even acknowledge her.

Until a few days ago she didn’t have a name. An article in the local paper last week told me how this poor soul happens to be my “neighbor”.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091011/LIFE/910110311


It gave me some insight into many of the other nameless, faceless people who have only the park to call home and told a very heartwarming story about a couple who care for these people.

I should feel guilty that I sit here warm, dry and, thanks to a federal project I am working on, earning a decent living. I had planned to make a year end gift to St. Vincent DePaul which operates a very nice homeless shelter. I probably won’t wait until the end of the year because their need is great and it is urgent. My neighbor is probably one of the many who would not use the shelter but she is a constant reminder to me of all who share her plight. There is only a pane of glass and a few feet of landscaping that separate her from me but I am all too aware that it is only one bad break or an unforeseen health catastrophe that could put me much closer to her.

k&r

You have what you have due to your efforts. And perhaps a bit of luck, too...

You are correct...I am all too aware that it is only one bad break or an unforeseen health catastrophe that could put me much closer to her.

Let's hope that doesn't happen.

And I applaud your willingness to help these folk. So many would not.

Thank you for your inspiring story.

K&R

would bring endless attention to the plight of these and many in America. A truly responsible gov. at all levels would make this one of many top priorities. We can spend endless amounts waging questionable wars, but somehow helping the helpless in America is often seen as a major expense and not a worthy venture... true, many countries are far worse, but American needs to look at the disasters we have within our borders. Too many Americans focus on the stock market, for example, as an indicator of the health of the country... a meaningless statistic in the big picture of life and survival. People should always come first, but in America money comes first.

You as one person can only do so much.
I have been homeless 2x for almost 2 years each time. All I needed was a hand up not hand out, though the hand outs kept me from starving.
The first time around was because of job loss and the sorry state of the nation under runnyrayguns regime. I was discharged from the navy as because I am gay. I was in training (almost finished) when I got found out, since I was Admin under honorable I should have been able to go to work for the FAA but that mal administrations hatred of humasekuals...
I did work at other jobs then got fired again for being gay. Had a falling out with (now thankfully far away ex) I had to rent a room, that did not work out he wanted payment, but not cash. So even though I was working part time I slept in my car most nights sometimes at friends couches.
The second time was when I was out of work sick..that was bad.

Second Harvest Food bank helps a lot of folks if not for them I would have starved, no joke.
In 2002 I was on disability but had a part time job that was good for 100-150 a week, then that was gone and partner was outsourced downsized and other wise out of work. We lived by part time gigs he could get and my ssd for almost a year. Again Second Harvest came through.
We are too strapped now to donate, We have our own little place we can grow food but this years garden was a bust, first too much rain(and me in hospital with a bypass), then almost no rain all summer now more rain.

We want to get a rain harvest system in so we can irrigate(we are on a well and using hard well water and the low out put does not really help garden much) so we will have better harvests and be able to send some fresh food to Second Harvest they always need fresh foods.
The say they can get 15$ worth of food for every 1$ they are truely helping out families even homeless in need I would urge any who can give do so. My thinking is that we are going to have to go back to living a bit more communally and taking care of our neighbors and extended family.

You teabaggers can scream socialism or communism all you like (I don't mean Stalin or Mao either, they were dictators misusing words).
Our communities used to be just that everyone working to the betterment of themselves and others.
I ll tell you it was hard on my self esteem but i was glad for it.

and they go unheard, swept under the rug, and we have this facade of what a great place America is, equal opportunity, all of these rights, and more BS. It's certainly better than a lot of places, but this country had best move toward more cooperation and caring than more competing and greed. Otherwise, I think we are slowly progressing back to the medieval days.

Too many people are really in bad shape in this country, and it gets worst each day, but you will never hear that from republicans. Wasn't it McCain that thought most Americans had a new worth of about $500K or some incredible BS like that during the last election. I am also so so so fed up of people judging everything about a person just because they happen to be gay. Sexual orientation is such a very very very small part of ones life. How some people can judge someone by just one aspect of their life is far beyond me to understand.

Ask her what she needs? Give her some money?

I spoke with Robin Fusmer who is helping the park people. We are meeting this afternoon to see how she might use my office for water and electricity. She says they need sleeping bags and winter clothing. They also need hand sanitizers to help people get through the flu season. Thanks for the challenge.

If you would like to help, call Robin at 541-621-1671

;-)

They seem to have a better idea of how to care for the people in the park.

Thanks for sharing that.

"There, but for the grace of God, go I."

I just met with Robin Fusmer. She has just learned that the city police are banning these people from the park. I'm not sure they have any legal right to do that and it certainly won't solve the real problem.

I truly believe that WE ARE ONE. I hope that those with enough money or time will be more inclined to help. :cry:

We all need to look at those less fortunate than us as extensions of ourselves without the breaks we were given. Like too many people, I have treated misfortune as something contagious. At present I have enough money to help and I will find the time to help. This has been a great day for me. It started off as any other but I decided to share an observation with my friends at DU. I got called out for talking but not acting. Tonight at dinner my wife and I talked about all the stuff we have that we will never use but which might save a life or at least make one less painful. We made a list of things we can do right now before the lethal winter weather arrives. I'm going to set up a place outside my office where the Fusmers can store sleeping bags and warm clothes. If nothing else, I'll be able to look out that window with an awareness that I tried to help and an assurance that someone would do the same for me.