Dealing Barbs Loss

This is Billy Bob and the Consortium
Let’s Have a Conversation Today

Gathering Today Without a Dear Friend, Barb is Gone

Good morning, it is an unusual morning and nothing feels right about today. But coffee is still normal in an abnormal morning. It has been hard not coming here, but this morning it was hard to come, knowing she will not be here picking on us. This is our first loss among our Consortium family, and it hurts. This is why I made sure we had good coffee and treats this morning, we need them while we remember and talk today.

Billy Bob, what happened o Barb, no one will tell us the truth, we just know that she has died, but what happened? Frankie, honestly it took some time, the police don’t talk to us. We thought it was her family, and we needed to be careful. That deadbeat found her? Yes, he did, sadly, she lost the battle to domestic violence. We had been so careful and helped her keep moving and changing and doing this and that. Frankie, breathe, there was nothing more to do, it is what happens in domestic violence. I saw the police around her sleeping spot and knew that something real bad was wrong, but there was nothing I could do, so I slipped away. That was the right thing, if he had seen you, he may have hurt you as well.

Hey, let’s all stop for a moment and just breathe, this is a tough subject even with Barb’s death there are many more hiding out here that are hoping to not be found. I think Barb would tell us make darn sure that they are safe no matter what, they cannot be hurt anymore. But Mike, how, we could not protect Barb how can we protect the others?  She taught us lessons, her battle was long, we learned a lot, remember? Yeah, I am still upset and mad, and angry, is it worth the fight? What are you going to do Frankie sit around and let the others risk death because you are upset?

Boys breathe, drink coffee, eat treats, let’s honor Barb and yes, honor lessons and let’s think, there is work to do, we are not out here alone, even if America has forgotten about us. Yea, America loves the illegals, but us, the victims of violence, not so much, what else can we do. Well guys what are we really good at that the average person is not? Pete, could you be talking about hiding spots, and secret escape spots?

Now I am going to say this, and I don’t none of you try to hit me, we had problems keeping Barb hidden at times because she did drink here and there. She was reported as an alcoholic, but her drinking was to cope with the horrors she lived through. What are you saying Pete, What I am saying is this, when we work on this next set of hiding spots for the at risk ladies, we have to work on the social drinking used to cope with the nightmares. Pete, you always go straight to the heart and drive it home, but how do we control that? We tell Barb story, I think she was a little less than careful the last few nights before her death and the nightmares probably played a role in that behavior. Barb was a unique human and a handful at times, but it was understandable after all she went through before she walked out into the night 15 years ago, only to die on the streets because nothing could be done to protect her.

Guys, I think what we can do now is agree that we ain’t getting off these here streets any time soon and to stay off, so out of sight the best thing to do. Secondly, I think when we meet for coffee the next best thing we can do is start working to help those that society has thrown away and forgotten. Billy Bob, forgotten, what do you mean, forgotten? Frankie, the old ones. Darn, yes, the old ones have to be cared for, America has gone lock headed and forgotten them, a very bad thing.

Folks, we see things out here, that you who live in homes don’t won’t and can’t and we talk, again, something you often don’t do any more and these are things that ought not to be, the old ones, the domestic violence victim dying on the streets, but you care not.

Guys, I miss Barb, she was feisty, and hardheaded at times, but man she knew a thing or two and was not afraid to say it like it was, whether that was good thing or not. Yea, that was probable why she had so many tickets, that was why we had to keep moving, the tickets could have caused big problems. That is a point housed folks don’t realize, if you are hiding from a real bad person who has hurt you and you end up in jail for being homeless it is a green light for the risk of them finding you, if they have a tracking skill or two. Coffee cups up, to Barb and her lovable stubborn self and may she be resting finally.

Pete, you are our research dude, please let’s start looking for ways to increase the ability to hide the at risk ones, the old ones and how to keep them totally safe no matter what. It seems nearly funny to me that a bunch of homeless guys are planning this and the government, the NGO’s and the like that get paid millions can’t do this job, but we will. Frankie, start walking, wandering, acting lost and confused, find us hiding places, good, solid hiding places, go wander my brother. Mike and I are going to start pulling in our resources for food and the like for when any crisis may come, we have resources, we are not going to lose another, no way.

Hey, guys, thanks for making today possible, it has been too long , and we needed to get together and honor Barb, and re-adjust our little group and start the new season. Mike, you are welcome, we all needed this today, and we have to stay focused, life can slip away quickly out here, and if we are not watching over each other, we can slip away alone, not going to happen. Guys, stay safe, free, careful, and we will gather again in few days and have another coffee and treat morning, okay?

Folks welcome back to our first conversation, it has been a while, we have been dealing with loss and grief, Barb was family to us. In our little group we stand up for each other, we stand against violence and hate, we take care of the old, vulnerable and those in dire need. But we also love to talk about subjects that just may rattle your cage a little but so that you stop thinking that the government has this handled, they do not and do not plan to handle this crisis. They, the government has trained you for too long to think that they alone can and will fix all problems, they cannot, they have caused most of them, thanks for reading, Billy Bob and Consortium