This is Billy Bob and the Consortium
Let’s Have a Conversation Today
Good morning, guys, how are you y’all doing this morning? Alright, Mr. Pete, you are late, and you have us worried, is everything okay? No, one of the old ones is gone and it was bad last night, I mean bad. Wait, you mean one of our old ones that we watch over is gone? Yes, it was terrible, the police did little, and when the ambulance finally got there, it was way too late. After all, it was just another homeless person.
Darn, Pete, I am so sorry, I know that we all have one or two old ones that we keep an eye on out here, but that is just harsh. Frankie she just sat up, looked around, and sat there, staring, and mouthing words for a minute, and then folded over like a paper doll. I finally got hold of her phone and called for help, but I knew she had already gone on and left this world. What did you do when help started showing up? I waited as long as possible with her, then slipped into the darkness and watched, not pleasant.
You know what my word for today is? No, Pete, what is your word? Change, that awful, dreaded word that no one likes, Change, and that is what is bothering me after last night. Pete, go on, tell us more, please. Barb, an old one, should not be out here with us taking their last breath, no way, wrong changes. She should have seen something pleasant if she was still looking in this world when she sat up last night. Pete, tough way to start our morning.
Yes, but let’s make it our coffee talk subject today: change, what we dread the most, change. Oh, Pete, not that word, we hate that word so much. Johnny Boy, so do I, but after last night, we have to face change and deal with it better. Okay, Pete, what are your wonderful ideas for us to talk about this morning about change? Frankie, I do not know, but after last night, change is all that my mind can think about. Pete, for us out here, change is more common than food or a shower.
Pete, I do know this is true, they expect us to make all these changes, and I mean a lot of changes, but they never get us help or the tools to change. Barb, I am impressed, that was deep and very true, and very critically important. We are rarely given the tools needed to change and to get off these darn streets. Pete, what could have changed for that old one that you were watching over that maybe could have allowed her a more peaceful end? Billy Bob, I do not know, but it was so bad watching it unfold, knowing what was happening and knowing I could do nothing.
Folks, we call these newer homeless folks the Old Ones, because these are the ones that the Pandemic created, never homeless before; they are elderly, often frail, and very often all alone in the world. They are confused and frightened when they land on the streets, and this country has nothing to give or help them to prevent them from landing on the streets. We, the veteran homeless, have decided that if you folks cannot watch over the old ones, the elderly homeless, that we will, and help in any way possible. Shame on you, housed folks.
Billy Bob, change, I guess, is part of life, even if we do not like change, it is with us until the very end of this life, and there is nothing we can do to stop change, right? Pete, you are right, we have never been taught how to work with change, use change or make change our friends and the pandemic and the crisis over homelessness and the illegals have only made it worse for all of us.
Pete, can I jump in and play a dream game with all of us this morning? Johnny Boy, I think that you have a great idea, it will get us thinking and get us out of this funk we are in right now. So, what if, here it comes: are you ready for a change that would turn the field of homelessness into a field of dreams and hope? Go for it, Johnny, we are ready, I think. The government suddenly decides to move the money it is wasting every year on solutions to solve homelessness into another fund altogether and hand it off to non-government companies only. Wait, you are really dreaming, Johnny Boy, would they ever consider doing that? Who knows, just dream.
With that money could come food pantries, shelters, programs that put us into situations where we can get back on our feet and find our way back to life again. Even the old ones would not be dying on the streets, and the foster kids could start life off on the right foot. Man, Johnny Boy, when you go for a dream, you go for it big time. It is not that hard, Frankie, the money is already there, it is just being wasted and hidden and put in pockets that do not help us, that change needs to come fast, and then we can change! What about the illegals? Billy Bob, I will take your coffee my silly friend, no illegals in this dream world!
Gus, if we could find the right group, the right set of people who can dream and who can stay away from the games of the government and can see outside of the set boxes that trap us and ensnare us, this dream could be reality, real change could happen, think for a moment while you drink coffee. I mean, all kidding aside, I knew I wanted to see more real change before last night, but that even, watching her die, was traumatic, and made me want to see change like never before.
Okay, folks, this has been a very unusual morning, after what has been a tough night for our coffee friend. No one likes death, but when it is a death out here, with no blankets, bed, comfort, no true family, or help, there is a certain mercilessness to it that really stings. No one likes change, but change is the due course of this life as you have heard us talk about this morning. Change is required for homelessness to end, for the numbers to cool and for hope to come back. These here folks are humans, not merely numbers, and they also want change. One last thing, your government PIT(Point in Time) count means little; the indication of change increases or decreases in the number of homeless, is no true accounting of any change out here, only help will bring change.
Easy there, Billy Bob, you ain’t supposed to scare off those good folk, they may be the ones to help us with the change that we need. Yes, you are right, but darn it, Pete, it is so hard sometimes to want something and know that you are most likely never going to get it. You are right, folks do apologize, have a great day and thanks for joining us again today, blessings y’all.