This is Billy Bob and the Consortium
Let’s Have a Conversation Today
Coffee, Real Coffee, It was a Tough Night
Do I dare say, “Good Morning?” No, you dare not, not after the night we all had, just hand over the coffee and let us drink. Sadly, what he said, hand over the coffee, and let silence be our start for the day. Okay, guys, share and share alike, Sally, don’t let them scare you off this morning; they will not bite. Pete, I am not so sure about that, after the night we all had, I may bite! Okay, enough, Good Morning, everybody, we all woke up, we are all breathing, we are all walking, and we are all drinking coffee, so no more moping about, alright.
Billy Bob, what has you either really chipper or really unhappy this morning? We lost some of the old one’s last night in all the shenanigans of the moving about last night. They were not taken, but I cannot find some of them. We are awake, what is the plan, Billy Bob? First, coffee and snacks and we talk and deal with the garbage from last night and educate the fine folks, then we go and find the old ones. So y’all were up all night moving about, trying to stay a step or two ahead of the police activity last night? Yes, it was frightening. I did not know what was going on, I just kept quiet, and kept in the dark, deep shadows, and moved quietly.
There was a shootout, a bad one, and all of the police in the local area responded, and as they were wrapping up, they decided to add in a homeless sweep for a prize for the night. So, they had to work extra hard because of the shooting and then they got to send homeless folk to jail as a reward? Yes, Mike, it sounds mean and unfair, but it is the truth, there was no other reason for the sweep. Those housed folks wonder why we don’t trust or care so much about the police, they pick on us. Mike, stop it, we do not tolerate that behavior.
Everybody, remember, we are not anti-police around here, no matter how hard the night or how upset we might be, they are simply following orders and doing as instructed, is that clear? Yes, Billy Bob, I just get so tired of running, but if I don’t run, then I end up in jail, which makes everything just that much worse, sorry. Billy Bob last night was rough. Does it get worse than last night at times? Sally, sadly, yes, it does, that is why we often are not well rested in the morning. What do we do? Just keep moving and be as quiet as possible and get to your assigned hiding place and don’t share its location.
Hey folks, let me fill you all in on what is happening here in our morning coffee circle. We had a tough night; we often deal with Police Sweeps, just not at night. Last night we got hit hard with unexpected sweeps, and it caught us off guard. We get very concerned for the old ones and vulnerable ones that we are looking over. This is why we are so unhappy and frustrated this morning. Let’s go back to the coffee circle.
I know we do not do anti-police here, and I am not either, but how do we survive when we are chased all the time? Frankie, you know what to do, you are just tired and scared, especially since Barb passed. Dang Pete, don’t go there, that is not what I asked! We have to become the most invisible and careful people that have ever walked without leaving a trace, no footprint, no trash, no containers, nothing that gets the attention of a housed human or a business owner. Billy Bob, that makes us living, breathing ghosts. Yes, Johnny Boy, you are right on target. This is why we have to protect the old ones that have recently lost their homes and apartments.
Okay, guys, flip the script with me, how can we make this better instead of just being mad about it like we are right now? Billy Bob, are you serious? Yes, we stay mad and upset, we will make a mistake that will cost us something, and that something will be serious. I guess without a harmful mindset, we team up to beat them at their own game. Explain Frankie. We had to do this after some bad times here in this area, roving patrols throughout the night, watching for impending raids, and get the word out, quietly and quickly. I mean we know that there are areas that even the police will not enter unless absolutely needed, and homeless dudes don’t make it needed. That is thinking instead of being mad, and it means we can keep people safe, which is the better idea.
Pete, how long will we have to tuck, duck, and hide from these raids? When will it go back to being quiet? Sally, I believe it is sage to say it will go back when cows give chocolate milk or pigs fly with golden wings. That is not what we wanted to hear Pete. No truth is not always pleasant. With all the new laws and coded language of protecting our citizens and businesses, and us versus them that is surfacing, there is not much we can do anymore. They have no way to help us, but they want us not to be in the way of progress. So, more rough night ahead, Pete?
Alright, everyone is tired and unhappy this morning, and even scared. No one wants jail, even though the housed folks think jail is a good answer; we get food and a bed, they don’t understand how hard it is to be in that environment after being outside for so long. Jail is slowly and quietly but aggressively being set up as the Only solution for homelessness, and with that in mind, we do need to be afraid. Our rough nights out here is just the warm-up for the real deal when it lands. Pete, what are you talking about?
Guys, we know the direction this is all heading, unless some miracle happens, and we have been planning for some time. Now, before the jaws start yapping, let me make it clear, it takes a literal village to get a single homeless person off the streets and that has not been made available. We have been offered a broken merry-go-round for years, and we knew that answers were not coming, so we planned. When the nights start to get too rough, we will know it is a final signal that hope has ended it is time to go, to enact the plan and no one will see us, find us, or know where to look for us ever again.
Billy Bob you are saying that you are planning, you knew it was going to get bad, you knew that they would not help us, you knew that no real solutions would come and you have been waiting and preparing to make sure you and all of us were safe when it all hits the fan? Yes, Sally, but we are not talking about it because it is safer for all of us. So, rough night, no problem we can be safe if we hang in there together and remember gathering together is important. Yup, perfect wrap up for the day, let’s go find our lost old ones from the night, see y’all in the morning. Thanks folks for joining us this morning, hope your night was better than ours.
What Will Their Outcome Be?
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