Injured Reserve

All Creation Groans -- apparently there's something in the wind. The bartender on Dravus fractured her hand and is out for 4-5 weeks. So sad. Father Kim and I thought it was going to be a fruitless visit when a guy at the bar stopped us before we left. Talking with him we found that he had gone to high school at Queen Anne with one of Kim's sons, and knew Kim's daughter-in-law. He was shaking his head at the "small world" and wondering what it meant. This soul has never left Queen Anne Hill.

We went on to MFQAT -- newly remodeled, lovely spot. J having wine, looks really great. He's lost 15 pounds, has really cut back on the drinking, is exercizing. Still smoking, but less. Not sure of the impact of exercise while smoking. I encouraged him to keep going. As I was leaving was again stopped by someone, wanting to know what we do. He slipped me $40. This makes $290 in bar donations in a month, which has to be a record. I haven't gotten even $100 in the previous 20 years of this work. Weird.

It is pouring rain. My knee is throbbing from what turns out to be a gout attack. I am as emotionally a wreck as at any time in my life, run down from the Phoenix marathon on Sunday, no doubt. But by the weekend I have recovered. God is good.
R

streetwalk Dec 16th

Last night was wet and windy, A good night to have stayed home, only I never do.
Being a holiday it was very quiet. Only a few customers at NO W. was alseep at the bar. Talked with the diswasher and he said last Sat.the place was wild and crazy because of the football game.
A new gal at the bar, told her thanks for the service.
At K. ran into a number of people I know and had some casual conversation. One fellow made clear that he didn't believe in life after death. He believes this is all there is.
Good soup at 2B. Fairly busy, talked with Jeff for a few minutes, he was with a friend so didn't iterupt.
5P was not very busy, not as usual anyway. No contacts.
Some times this job can be lonely.
S. at bar at the NL again. Good to see her. Good conversation with F., which is one of the reasons I always stop here. A young lady named C. engaged me in conversation for a few minutes. Told her why I was there and she seemed to understand.

streetwalk 01/16/06

Last night was wet and windy, A good night to have stayed home, only I never do.
Being a holiday it was very quiet. Only a few customers at NO W. was alseep at the bar. Talked with the diswasher and he said last Sat.the place was wild and crazy because of the football game.
A new gal at the bar, told her thanks for the service.
At K. ran into a number of people I know and had some casual conversation. One fellow made clear that he didn't believe in life after death. He believes this is all there is.
Good soup at 2B. Fairly busy, talked with Jeff for a few minutes, he was with a friend so didn't iterupt.
5P was not very busy, not as usual anyway. No contacts.
Some times this job can be lonely.
S. at bar at the NL again. Good to see her. Good conversation with F., which is one of the reasons I always stop here. A young lady named C. engaged me in conversation for a few minutes. Told her why I was there and she seemed to understand.

Reporters & Homeless People

Reporters are tough to accomodate in this line of work. They want their story, but homeless people don't really want to be reported on. Who does?

Tonight I had Chris F. from KIRO Radio in tow. I ditched him. Actually, I thought he might have a more interesting night hanging out in our shelter dispatch center than sitting on a barstool with me and Father Kim. So we left him, and promised to come back at 10:15 and get him to go with us to one of the bars.

I was a little sceptical about getting everything done tonight. I had to see a guy downtown, and didn't want to stay out until midnight -- between fighting a cold and trying to get in shape for running a marathon, the late hours have been taking their toll. Anyway.

Kim and I had a fairly slow night at Dravus Street. J-Man playing pool, happy milkmaid tending bar. Only tonight she wasn't so happy. A friend of her housemate committed suicide on their front porch. Hung himself, neighbor saw him. Police said he didn't suffer, then they arrested a girlfriend on old warrants or something. So milkmaid was asking for prayer for her friend.

Up at MFQAB (My Favorite Queen Anne Bar) -- interesting dichotomy. The regulars at one end, me and two of my buddies at the other, all of us drinking (a.) decaf coffee, (b.) Diet Pepsi, (c.) Pellegrino water. The answer is (d.) all of the above. Across the room is a bunch of soccer moms and a few dads, looking strangely at home in the new digs which MFQAB is now become. "What's going on?" Turns out it was the local PTA after-meeting. They decided to check out the "new" MFQAB.

Soon I was hugging the principal. (We're buddies, friend of friends sort of thing). Pretty funny.

Back to Nightwatch, picked up the reporter, back down to 3rd and Bell. Pouring rain still (building an ark not such a bad idea around Seattle lately). Anyway, Reporter Chris and Father Kim got into an extended and fairly interesting conversation with R#3 while I talked with regulars inside. Lots going on -- many deaths and health problems among the regulars, have some of the rest of them spooked. I think it is fairly common after the holidays, and when I think about the health compromises most of the 3rd and Bell folks have -- 2 packs and 12 beers a day can take their toll. Anyway people were feeling a little fragile. Bartender D. gave me info for Rev. Norm (which I finally got to him) and my friend, the MWNI conversed with me about moving into our apartments.

Which is another thing. I gave him the application on Thursday night, and I still haven't got it back. Why?

The fact that we have a vacancy is rather weird. I told him I thought something would happen. Well, something did. Tenant in 301 died. We discovered him on New Year's Eve, during the day. Age 57. Died in bed. We'll call him MB.

I had a conversation with him the day he died -- "How you doing?" as he was coming into the building. I held the door for him. "Just can't throw this thing" was his answer. Indeed. So sad.

Anyway, done with 3rd and Bell, but Reporter Chris and Fr. Kim had spent the whole time out on the sidewalk talking to R#3 who had missed his bus in order to be interviewed. I knew the whole thing was going to get compressed down to about 30 seconds or less, but I think R#3 felt a little vulnerable -- he's a true talker, but tends (like all of us) to say too much.

He needed a ride home so we dropped him off uptown, got back to Nightwatch at a reasonable time (I was afraid it was going to be super late -- so much for worrying.)

Pray for me. Pray for the homeless people in this terrible rain. Rick

streetwalk on 1/2/06

A New Year!

Most places were very quiet, maybe because of too much partying last night, but there is always someone to talk to. I made stops at only 4 places.
Met couple of friends at NO in Pioneer Square. Happy New Year from and for them. Met a frizzy haired red head (named Ja.) we had a good talk about OPNW. She seemed to be impressed. I didn't find out to much about her but she is a friend of T. who hangs out there.
Always good contact at K. D. at th bar, he had a good trip to Oregon for Christmas to see family.
Greeted a number of regulars and had an interestingt conversation with L.B. about homelessness. Gave him a card for a "one night pass" at OPNW Got an e-mail from him the next day saying he had given it to a fellow he knows who is homeless. D. informed me that B. ( an ex-barmaid) had a stroke and is in Harborview. Will try and check in her.
Had cup of soup at 2B. but very little contact there tonight.
Saw F. at NL as usual and had a good visit. Sa. was at the bar as Sh. has been let go after 8 years there. Don't know any details and don't really want to know.
A good night to start another year.
Norm