Monday, November 21, 2005

Hey Buddy Can You Spare a Can?

I was up too late last night—family trauma but at least all seems to be ending well. I wish I could blame the lack of sleep on the family trauma because even if the trip to the emergency ward had not taken place I would have stayed up at least till 11:00 PM. I got sucked into Rome and I thought the final episode which DID air last night was on 9:00-10:00 pm edition but I was wrong—last night the 9:00 –10:00 slot was the Encore episode, more specifically, last weeks show. The Series finale was on afterward at the 10:00 to 11:00 PM time slot and I watched it. Had I been smart and patient I would have realized HBO will feature this episode again next week and I would be able to access the show at a better time for me. Like I said though I was into the whole Rome thing by then and besides I was trying to be supportive and stay up till Dianne got home. Dianne did get home about 12:30 am. So I am a bit sleep deprived but I am making it through the day.

It’s the holiday week. I am betting very little really gets done this week. All kinds of vacation is being taken in this office and I know likewise through out the State. So, if you are a consumer needing some type of State support you better be persistent and have your stock piles build up. Offices will be running on skeleton crew staffs, phones will be answered but that is about all. I am working all week but he holiday and half a day on Friday. I plan to come in the morning and make a fast day of it. I just know I am going to get a zillion calls of evictions, utility turn offs and food need. And you know what? I don’t have anything I can tell them. Maybe the food response is doable—I MEAN right after Thanksgiving who will not have a bone to spare? Food banks will tank pretty fast the next week going into Christmas but right after T-Day I imagine something will be available. The Food banks should rebound as Christmas nears with more and more Public Service Announcements air, and more and more local network news crews show up at the main downtown homeless park doing remotes to show the need. Oh yeah, the ever present lunch news feed from the down town soup kitchen line showing not only the grisly older guys hut whole families standing in line waiting for a sandwich, cup of soup or what ever. This is the kind of energy which will start driving the food conscience of all the locals who CAN and SHOULD donate a meal or two if not to the season then to the people in need. The local mangers of the various food bank have been sweating the food donations from the first tsunami this year that everyone will donate to the international crisis and forget about the CRISIS in our own back yard or rail yard or City Park. I had a one hour and forty-five minute call this morning from this waif of a small soul who needs a self imposed special diet. Everywhere she turns she is turned aside. Actually the waif is quite brilliant but a but naïve and beside herself. If she were stupid her systemic abuse would not be so bad because she would not conceive the great conspiracy to her but she does know and is aware which greatly adds to her pain. She feels her religious structure if not her God has forsaken her. She is at odds with just about everyone in her life. The most I can do is listen—sometimes I sense that helps. Other times, I can actually give her a small bit of information or direction which might even help. Many times I must bite my tongue not to judge her comments even if they inadvertently take aim on me and my office; the best I can do is to listen and try to remain objective.

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