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Day 58 -Jeremy G

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2010| 2 Comments »

Snowpocalypse 2010 (photo: R. Sandridge)

I woke up this morning to more snow!  After going down and shoveling the stairs and sidewalk in front of my condo, I headed out to give away my $10.  I found Melise, Kevin and Danilo…all said they could not accept my $10 for one reason or another.  All were nice and interesting to speak with…however, I was on a mission.  After more than an hour searching, I found Jeremy.

Jeremy was standing in a covered entry way for an office complex where he sought refuge from the cocktail of cold, wind, and snow that was swirling around Farragut Square in DC.  He is 48.  His stained clothes and weathered look led me to believe that he was homeless.  When I asked him if he was, he struggled with the answer.  Jeremy said he tried to stay with friends mostly or in a shelter near 2nd and E Street. 

Conversation was awkward with Jeremy.  He was extremely polite but seemed to be in a slightly altered state.  I don’t know if it was the cumulative effect of being out in the cold or a result of substance abuse or something else.  He took out a folded piece of newspaper that he had in his stained jacket and wrote down my name and other information I told him.  Every time I would jot something down in my small notebook, he would write something on his paper.  

Jeremy hopes to make a few dollars shoveling snow (photo: R. Sandridge)

I asked him what he was doing there.  He said he thought that some of the maintenance crew of the nearby office buildings would pay him to shovel some snow for a few dollars.  I asked what he would do with the $10 and he said that he would get some food, hot tea, and maybe use the leftover for bus fare.

We didn’t talk more.  I felt he was uncomfortable and I was freezing by this time.  I asked if I could take his picture…he obliged and I took the photo you see here. 

Would you believe on the way home I passed Melise again…the first woman who refused my $10 today.  She was nice and recognized me immediately.  Small world.

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Day 55 – Esteban H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , , , on February 8, 2010| 5 Comments »

Yesterday my brother invited me to see another Capitals game.  Man, it was a good one!  The Caps were down 4-1, then came back to tie it and eventually win it in overtime.  Although Ovechkin looked a little sluggish sometimes, he was on fire shooting 3 of the 5 goals.

After the game, Ryan and I thought we would hang out a while before we tried our luck getting on the Metro.  They were only running one train every 30 minutes and the majority of those who came to watch the hockey match came by Metro…so you can imagine what a mess it would be right after the game.

We headed into a Starbucks to take refuge from the cold and chat for a while.  I ran into Thomas, a friend who used to live in the same condo as me before he and his wife moved to New York.  Well, they moved back and he spotted me in the coffee shop and said hello.  It’s a small world.

I approached a woman, Lori, reading the paper at the counter and asked her to accept my $10.  She refused, urging me to find someone else more deserving.  I get this answer a lot.  I try to explain to people that they can do whatever they wish with the money.  If you think that you are not deserving of it, why not take a minute out of your day to give it to somebody who you think is deserving of it.  I sometimes think people are too lazy to do that…or they just don’t want to be bothered.

I ended up finding Esteban.  The 67-year-old Mexican-American was standing, with the help of a cane, next to the Verizon Center.  The first thing you notice about Esteban is the fact that he is not wearing any socks or shoes!?!?  He has a pair of sandals on.  He says that he doesn’t wear socks of shoes because he was poisoned with mercury by some people walking by while he slept and now it is too painful to put anything on his feet.

After a few minutes, I find myself a little confused in the conversation.  I switched to Spanish hoping that that would help clear up what he was trying to tell me.  Unfortunately, I realize early into my 25 minute chat with Esteban that he most likely suffers from schizophrenia and/or other mental illness.  Ok, the lack of shoes and socks should have been a red flag.

I am not sure what to believe about what he tells me.  Some details seem normal and very believable.  Like the fact that he came to the US in 1984, has been homeless for most of the time, has relatives in Texas, and is originally from Tamaulipas, Mexico.  But then there were the bizarre stories.  Like the lynching of a bully in a DC shelter or the friendship with a DC police lieutenant or stranger yet, the intimate knowledge he has of a scandal involving the FBI, CIA, and a former DC mayor that caused him to flee the city and end up at the Pentagon. 

It was sad.  Esteban needs help far beyond what I am able to provide.  It takes a while to wrap up the conversation as he retells some of the stories.  He said he would use the money to get some food this week.  I told him to protect his feet.  He explained again about the mercury and how anything he put on his feet hurt.  I suspect his feet are frost bit.  I urged him to go to a shelter, but he refused.

I wished him luck, shook his hand and nodded to my brother to get on our way.  He smiled and hobbled a bit further under the overhang, close to where his bags sat wet from the gray slushy mess that covered the sidewalk.

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Day 50 – John

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, Something for others, tagged , , , , , , , on February 3, 2010| 2 Comments »

Yesterday evening I went to the Brickskeller which is just a short walk away from my home.  The snow was falling and the scene was almost postcard worthy.  I took a picture with my blackberry phone, but it didn’t do it justice and its not even worth posting here.

The downstairs bar at The Brickskeller

The Brickskeller is somewhat of an institution in DC.  For more than 50 years it has been providing one of the most comprehensive selections of beers ever assembled under one roof.  If you are a beer connoisseur, it is a must visit.

They have this awkward bar seating in the cellar.  The bar stools are connected and set quite close together and there is no standing allowed in the bar area, so you usually end up sitting next to someone there and due to the close proximity that I mentioned, you are pretty much guaranteed to meet those sitting next to you.

I hadn’t a bit more sat down when the man sitting to my right asked, “Is it still coming down out there?”  I acknowledged that it was still snowing and settled my bag at my feet and took my coat off.  After browsing through their catalogue of beers, I settled on a Murphy’s Irish Stout. 

Since John had already made a little small talk with me, I decided to talk to him and see if he would accept my $10.  At first, the former military serviceman told me that “it sounds too good to be true.”  I assured him that there was no gimmick.  He smiled and replied back, “Just when you thought that you had seen everything, something like this comes along.”  He took the $10 and sat it on the bar in front of him and placed my business card on top of it. 

I explained that I wanted to ask him a few questions for the blog and he shrugged as if to say, ok.  I found out that he was originally from New Jersey, but now lives in Kansas City, MO.  He is in town presumably for some government or military related meetings.  I find out two interesting things through the course of the conversation.  First, he is a fellow Pittsburgh Steeler fan!  We chatted a little bit about our disappointing season and the future opportunities of the former coach, Bill Cowher.  John ventures a guess that Cowher is waiting to see if a job opens up at Carolina – close to where he lives.  I bet he is right.

The second interesting tidbit about John is that he said he once ejected from an F18 aircraft.  I didn’t get a lot of details or circumstances related to the incident except that he was off the west coast of the US and the plane was going to crash so he ejected and landed in the Pacific and withstood a few frigid hours until he was picked up.  I can only imagine what it feels like to have crashed a $42 million plane.  I used to work at a bar in Central Pennsylvania called Pagliaro’s Trattoria.  If you broke some of the bar glasses, they would reduce your paycheck by the amount of the glasses.  I asked him if they took the $42 million out of his paycheck, and he just sorta laughed and said that those are considered part of doing business.  Heck, one plane isn’t too bad, didn’t John McCain crash four or five planes?

My glass is now half full and our conversation comes and goes like a dog falling in and out of a slumber on a lazy summer afternoon.  I ask him what he is going to do with the $10 and he says, “Probably buy you a beer!”  Well that would certainly be ok, but I told him he could do anything he wanted with it.  He did end up buying me a beer, a nice beer from the Pennsylvania brewery called Stoudts.  The left over money he said would go toward some coffee.

John takes off and I finish my beer that he bought me.  I ended up talking to a nice guy named Doug from South Carolina who works for NOAA.  I got a quick education in some meteorological and geological related issues.  He was in town for some meetings that were part of a fellowship he was doing.  Today he was to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum…if you haven’t visited this museum, I recommend it.  It is terribly depressing but well done in my opinion. 

Tomorrow I will make my third trip to the DC Unemployment Offices again to try to straighten out my unemployment benefits.  Let’s hope this time I can finally get everything resolved.

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Day 47 – Norman

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged , , , , , on February 1, 2010| 1 Comment »

Some friends of mine were in town this weekend and we met for brunch at Kramer’s in Dupont.  For those of you who have been following the blog, you probably have figured out that I like that place.

They have a decent brunch.  I am not sure that I am a brunch person…I always struggle between the breakfast and lunch options.  It doesn’t really matter I guess though, whatever you order you are going to eat too much probably and feel a bit comatose when you’re done.  As we forced our sluggish bodies out of the iconic locale, we saw a homeless man right outside of the door.  I decided to see if he would accept my $10.

Norman outside Kramer's in DC

It’s a strange feeling when you stand inches away from someone who has committed heinous crimes and feel compassion for them rather than fear.  To say that Norman is a likeable fellow is an understatement. 

His home now is the New York Avenue Shelter.  He says that he tends to be a bit of a loner preferring not to associate with other people at the shelter.  He explains that taking sides is how you get into trouble; probably a lesson he learned in prison.  I asked him what his future looks like.  He kind of shrugged as if to say that he doesn’t see his life getting much better.  I asked him if he was aware of organizations that could offer him help to get back on his feet.  His eyes look downward, then up and into my eyes, “If after 35 years in DC, 18 years in 7 different prisons, you don’t know how to take care of yourself, you aint ever gonna learn.”

Norman said he was going to use the money for some food and transportation this week.  He said it was very generous.  On a good day he told me he can bring in about $110 panhandling.  One time a doctor over near P Street gave him $40.

Like many of the other homeless people that I have met, I feel sad to say goodbye.  I know that I am going back to my warm comfortable home and he will still be here in 20 degree weather.  I shake Norman’s hand and give him a smile and tell him to take care of himself.  I hope that I run into Norman again.

By the way, I have updated the statistics page this weekend and continue to add to the Lend A Hand section.

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Day 43 – Danielle M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , on January 27, 2010| 3 Comments »

I added a new element to the Year of Giving.  You will see a new tab that says “Lend A Hand.”  This is place where I will post things that could help the YoG recipients.  So if someone is looking for a job or a contact in a certain field, you will have the opportunity to directly help them.  Or maybe you want to help someone like Cleo from Day 41 who needs a new music stand which probably costs under $30.  You can leave a comment there about how you can help.  Be generous!
I went to my Tuesday networking group of professionals who are looking for new careers.  I really enjoy going to these sessions.  The cadre that we have assembled is dynamic and often offers thought provoking suggestions and ideas.  On top of the feedback I have gotten from the group, I have had several leads this week for work…so that is good.

Chilly day to be working outside

On my way home from my meeting, I saw a woman sitting by herself on a bench working on a laptop.  That was kind of crazy.  The bank clock/weather display showed that it was 46 degrees Fahrenheit.  So not freezing, but not exactly comfortable to sit outside and leisurely surf the net. 

I walked up to Danielle as she was typing away on her Apple laptop.  I asked her what she was doing there and she explained that she didn’t have wi-fi in her apartment yet so she was sitting there using the wi-fi she was picking up.  I told her that there was a Cosi close by that had free heat and wi-fi.  She smirked and grabbed a brown paper bag with a Cosi logo that appeared as if it contained a salad and showed to me.  “I went there.  Their wi-fi is down” she said.  

Danielle told me she had a Masters in Government Affairs.  I asked her where she worked and she gave me that face like, “hey, I’ve told you enough!”  She said she worked for “the government.”  You know what that means.  Spy.  Just kidding. 

I asked her what she was going to do with the money and she said she was going to go over to the CVS and give the $10 to the guy who stands outside opening the door for customers.  I knew who she was talking about.  I had even thought of giving him my $10 one day…but hadn’t yet. 

I was very sensitive to the fact that Danielle was probably working and I didn’t want to take up too much of her time.  I say that, but then again, what was she doing sitting on a bench at Dupont Circle.  Shouldn’t she have been at her “government” job office.  Ok, definitely a spy. 

We exchanged emails and said goodbye.  She said she would check out the blog and leave a comment on how she felt about the experience.

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Day 42 – Ryan Z.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 26, 2010| 3 Comments »

I have some good news today.  I wrote WordPress and asked them if they would be so kind as to gift me an upgrade so that I would be able to post my videos here instead of forcing people to go to Facebook, and they said absolutely!  WordPress rocks!  Thank you.  So, soon you will have video on here too!

Franklin Square, Washington, DC

Yesterday I was walking near Franklin Square in downtown DC.  It’s a nice park to sit and take in a warm, sun-drenched day like we had yesterday.  

It was ironic to me at first that it is called Franklin Square since the only statue in the park is of John Barry and not of Benjamin Franklin.  Not that Barry is not worthy of it, history portrays him as an honorable Naval Office in the Continental Navy (he might have been the first official officer).  But if the park is called Franklin Square you expect to see something about Benjamin Franklin.  Well, after a little poking around I learned that the park is named after the founding father because of the building that is across the street, the Franklin School.  

Continental Navy Officer, John Barry

The roof of the Franklin School is the location where Alexander Graham Bell sent his first “photophone” transmission (sound transmitted by light waves) in 1880.  Now it seems unused.  It used to be a homeless shelter up until late 2008, but now I don’t believe it is being used for anything.

As I left the park, I saw a young guy crossing the street holding an artist’s large sketch portfolio.  I thought he would make an interesting recipient.  Maybe I would find a real, live starving artist.

Art Institute student, Ryan Z.

Ryan stops to talk to me.  His longish hair protruding some from his hat.  The 18-year-old seemed a bit confused about my mission, but readily agreed to participate.  He lives in Arlington right now and attends the Art Institute in Rosslyn where he studies graphic design.  What he really wants to do is design items for the music industry.  So, merchandising, cd covers, etc.  The Erie, PA native says he plays guitar and would enjoy playing in a band here in DC. 

I asked him what he would do with my $10 and he gave me back the most common response I get: eat.  I don’t think he was truly a starving artist, but it seemed that my $10 would definitely help him out.

So if anyone knows of any good connections or advice for Ryan to help him out in his graphic design pursuits or to get him hooked up with a band, please comment here.

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Day 40 – John

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , on January 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I found myself in the picturesque neighborhood of Georgetown.  As I walked along M Street, I notice a man on the corner of M and Wisconsin sitting in front of the Banana Republic store.  

I cross the street and make my way to where he is sitting.  John has on a pink foam hat that says Vintage Virginia (I have been to this wine festival and was not impressed), a heavy wool blanket wrapped around him and a mini disco ball on a chain that hangs from his neck.  I stopped to talk to the 52-year-old homeless man and walked away with a smile on my face.

A clever phrase, a warm smile, or just a wave seems to work for John as he is successful in getting the attention of those who walk past him.  His kindness and free-flowing smile seem to almost warm the crisp winter air.  

John has been homeless for about 5 years he explained.  His life took a dramatic turn after he lost his wife and child in an auto accident.  He also said that he lost his other son due to heart failure at the age of 17 while playing basketball.  Too much personal tragedy for one person.

Now, he has become somewhat of a regular at this intersection I found out from a neighborhood local.  I asked John about his hat and disco ball.  He said they were gifts and he has worn them for over a year and that people remember him by his crazy pink hat.  That may be partly true, but I will remember him not for his hat, but for how friendly and optimistic he was despite his situation.

On top of being homeless, John suffers from heart disease and is an insulin dependent diabetic.  He recently lived through a difficult situation when he was denied benefits to get his insulin.  He doesn’t appear angry though.  He seemed to just take everything in stride.  We chatted for a while about all kinds of things; from his health stories to a meeting he had with Mayor Adrian Fenty to his fondness for really tall women!  Hey, if there are any 6’ or taller women out there who want to meet a really nice man, let me know and I will hook you up with John!

I asked South Carolina native about the hat.  He says that everyone knows him now by the pink hat.  He has other hats too.  A turkey hat for Thanksgiving, a complete Santa Outfit for Christmas, a red, white, and blue hat for the 4th of July, etc.  He doesn’t have an Easter Bunny hat, so if anyone has one that they would like to give to him, let me know! 

I asked John what he was going to do with the $10 and he replied with a big smile that revealed some missing teeth that he would get himself a big vegetable dinner.  He was very thankful of my donation.  I asked him how much he collects on  a good day and he said about $30-$40.  I think he might have lowballed me on this, as I saw at least $5 make its way to his bucket while I was standing there and a few more as I jotted down some notes from across the street after I spoke to him.  I bet a good day for him is at least double what he stated.  He explained that people do a lot of nice things for him and I asked him what has been the best “gift” so far.  “Conversation,” he said without hesitation.  I was touched by this.  A man who desperately needs financial resources valued the conversation of others much more than the money that they were giving him.

If you are in Georgetown, keep an eye out for the pink hat and stop and say hello to John.  It will be worth your time, trust me.

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Day 39 – “Sandra”

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , on January 24, 2010| 1 Comment »

I got a little behind in my posts and I will try to catch up.  Day 39 was my birthday.  It was a rather calm and peaceful day.  I had the opening of the play that I am in, The Foreigner. 

After lunch I was walking down Connecticut Avenue and got cornered by some folks trying to get people to donate to C.A.R.E.  I patiently listened to “Sandra” talk about the importance of donating, especially now given the crisis in Haiti.  In fact she says she is from Haiti…well, her parents are from Haiti and she studied some in High School there.  I asked how her family was and she said that everyone that she knew was thankfully ok. 

I let her finish her pitch and then threw my curveball.  I explained to her the Year of Giving and told her that I would like to give my $10 to her, and then she could do anything she wanted to with the money.     

Sandra is not her real name, but she was very concerned that her name might get on the Internet…so we agreed to use this pseudonym.  She goes on to explain that she was born in Canada and moved to DC about 18 months ago.  “I didn’t do much for a little more than a year, then I got this job about two months ago” she explained. 

Since the 27-year-old interacts with the public every day about so many important causes I was interested in some of her experiences, however, she said that nothing really stood out.  I couldn’t believe it…how could you spend two months interacting every day with the public and not have a list of stories.  I have been doing my Year of Giving for 39 days and when I get asked what interesting experiences I have had, I can hardly wait to tell people about Anthony, Kevin, Jenny, Gilles, David, etc… the list goes on.  I pressed her a little more and she did recall seeing Robin Williams on the streets of Georgetown recently.  No, she didn’t ask him to donate if you were wondering.

I circled back around to the $10 and asked her what she planned to do with it.  I was wondering if she would donate it to C.A.R.E. since she was so passionate about me contributing to the organization.  She said she didn’t want to do anything with it today.  She was just going to put it in her pocket and think about it.  Later, she said she would use it to buy lunch one day next week. 

A parking enforcement officer walks by and she recalls that earlier that day she had given a man 50 cents to put in his meter and he said to her, “Thank you.  Something great is going to you today!”  She looks at me and says, “He was right!”

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Day 37 – Suzzana S.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, Something for others, tagged , , , , on January 21, 2010| 3 Comments »

I had a great day today.  I was so busy that I ended up not giving away my $10 until the very last minute, literally.  I got home from my theatre rehearsal at 11:35 and walked up near the Metro to see if I could find a recipient.  I asked a woman who I passed on the way, but she said, “I think I am going to keep walking.”

I spotted three people who looked a little lost just outside the Metro entrance.  I asked them if they needed help…they said they thought they were ok, but were a little turned around.  The trio said that they were headed to the Carlyle Suites Hotel – I had no idea where that was so I wouldn’t have been much help anyway. 

Since I was chatting with them and they seemed friendly, I thought I would ask them if one of them would like to participate in the Year of Giving.  The two men and one woman talked internally a little and said they were up for it if I was willing to walk and talk. 

The two men graciously said that their female colleague should be the recipient.  Suzanna, a young sophisticated woman from Oakland, is a web graphic designer for the company where the three work. Who knows, maybe she could help me develop a better website for the Year of Giving.  She also says that she is a jazz singer…although apparently for now the IT job will have to pay the bills.

I asked her how she was going to spend the money and she said that she had been thinking about that since I gave her the money.  “I am going to buy a knish in NYC.  How many knishes can I get for $10?”  Her two colleagues determine that she can probably buy three for $10.  “So, I will buy three knishes in New York.  One for me, one for my friend, and one for someone on the street.”  I thought that was a cool that she planned to use part of the money to do something nice for someone that she didn’t know. 

Although Suzanna was weary of giving me her email address, she promised to take a photo of the Yiddish dumplings and send it to me.  I hope she makes good on her promise.  It would be nice to post it here. 

We were getting close to their hotel and I asked her what her reaction was when I approached them with my project.  Suzanna first said, “Well, I wasn’t too skeptical because you seemed normal.”  Phew, someone thinks I am normal.  Yes!  That however quickly turned into, “Actually, I wasn’t really worried, I mean, I was pretty sure that I could take you.”  What?!  Do I look that meager and weak?  That doesn’t bode well for how convincing I will be as a villain in the play that I am performing in. 

Well, we got to the hotel and I was surprised that I didn’t know it, it is not too far from my condo.  I asked them what they thought of it.  Suzanna and her boss both said that it was very nice.  The other gentleman seemed a bit bitter.  It turns out that he got screwed on his room. (I bet he is not getting one of those knishes in NYC either!)  But all in all they said it was a decent place.  They quoted a price of roughly $120/night which is an excellent rate, so might be an option for those of you who travel to DC.

I shook their hands…said goodbye and was on my way home.  I checked my phone and saw that the time was 12:02 am, so I made it just in time!

Let’s hope Suzzana is a woman of her word and follows up!

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Day 36 – Bill C.

Posted in Bills, Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

I have been so impressed with how many people I know who have opened up their wallets and hearts to help those in Haiti.  Maybe it is because technology has made it easier for us to make contributions, maybe it is because many of us remember our own times of need and how much it means when someone offers to help.  Regardless of the reason, I am impressed.  I have also seen the generous side of many people after they have learned about the Year of Giving.  Thanks to all of you who have offered me support and encouragement.

Today I struck out three times before finding a willing recipient of my $10.  I first approached a city worker.  There is an area of DC called the Golden Triangle.  That district has workers dawned in bright yellow vests whose job it is to help people find where they are going and keep the area clean and safe.  I doubt they get paid very well and they offer a great service.  The first person I approached said he was not able to accept money while he was working.  So, I went on my way and saw a Latino man leaving a bank with a chef’s outfit on.  I approached him and he seemed very skeptical of my intentions.  He said he was working and could not talk to me.  I gave him my card and kept on walking.  Then I saw another Golden Triangle employee and thought I would see if I got the same answer as his colleague.  Sure enough, he toted the company line.

Three refusals…wow.  One more and I will have a new single day record.  I walked by a man sitting on a park bench next to a guitar case.  Bill was dressed all in black and sporting dark sunglasses.  He looked cool and relaxed as he enjoyed his coffee on this warmer than average Tuesday.  I sat down next to him and explained what I was doing.  He smiled easily and said he really liked my project. 

Bill playing a few songs at Dupont Circle

Bill has been playing guitar for 45 years.  He tells me that he has played and worked with all kinds of people in all kinds of places.  From street corners to now mega-star Alicia Keys.  Yep, Bill did some work for Alicia Keys when she was a young teenager.  He says he likes any kind of music, “from the 50’s to Smashing Pumpkins.”  He credits the Ink Spots, the Platters, and all of Motown as influencing factors.

In recent years, Bill has not been so fortunate.  Playing some gigs here and there and getting some extra cash on the street.  He entertains the public in front of the Starbucks at Dupont Circle and the North and South Dupont Metro entrances.  On a good day he says he brings in over $100.  On a bad day $15. 

If you want to check out some of Bill’s music, you can find him on MySpace.  The site is outdated and doesn’t look like it has been updated in a few years.  I asked Bill if he had family and he mentioned 7 brothers and sisters.  On the MySpace page you will also find what looks to be a blog post by Bill in 2007 asking for help finding his two children that he apparently has lost touch with.  Sad.  He is such a nice guy.

So I asked Bill what he was going to do with the money and he said it would go to food and utilities.  I get the feeling he is not paying rent right now and tries to give as much as possible to his roommate, a fellow musician. 

Bill pulled his guitar out and tuned it.  His fingertips tell the whole story; the hardened skin from years of sliding his fingers up and down the guitar.  He plays a couple tunes and even breaks into some vocals as well.  It would have been a beautifully serene moment had it not been for a certifiably crazy man screaming on the next bench over.

Before I left I asked Bill what his all-time favorite song was…Moonlight Serenade.  For those who live/work/play near Dupont Circle, keep an eye out for Bill and say hello.

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Day 33 – Dana

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , on January 16, 2010| 3 Comments »

I was on my way to help construct the stage for the theatre production that I will be performing in starting January 22nd.  [For those of you in the DC area, come see the Foreigner at Rockville Little Theatre.  Details can be found here!] 

I was heading up to Rockville, MD on Georgia Avenue where you turn off to Veirs Mill Road and saw a woman standing on the median with a sign that said, “Not homeless yet.”  I made a u-turn and parked at a Baptist church, crossed to the median and went to speak with her.

As I walked up to her, she crossed her arms in an “X” shape and said, “Oh no!” as if she was trying to keep me away from her.  What the heck?  This has never happened.  Was I wearing my Montgomery County Police Department hat?  I asked her what was wrong and she said, “Your shirt….you a Redskins fan?”  I was wearing a Washington Redskins shirt.  It was then I noticed her Dallas Cowboys hat.  Oh lord…my second Cowboys fan here in DC that I have encountered in my Year of Giving.  I explain that I am actually a Steelers fan and we form a truce.

Dana, a 47-year-old single woman living in Maryland, says she is at the Georgia Ave. / Veirs Mill Rd. location almost every day from 9am to at least noon.  She claims to have hit financial turbulence two years ago when her mother passed away and left her with a house that still owed more than $60,000.  She says that she was unable to make the mortgage payments and the house entered into foreclosure.  She offers to show me the foreclosure papers that she has in her bag, but I didn’t think that was necessary. 

She says she is looking for work.  “I will scrub floors, clean toilets, whatever!” she says.  She gets by with the money she collects at this intersection now.  A Wonder® Bread truck rolls past and she hollers out, “Hi honey!”  She goes on to say, “Sometimes the driver gives me some leftover bread and pastries.”

This got me thinking.  I asked her what was the best thing she had received from someone driving by.  Her answer intrigued me.  Instead of saying a dollar amount or some material good, she said that the most valuable thing that she had received was encouragement from those that speak with her. 

She says she will use the $10 for food. 

Dana is very likeable.  She has been hardened considerably by her life experiences, but that doesn’t keep her down.  She is very positive and optimistic and smiles often; revealing that she has almost no teeth left.  We chat for a few more minutes as cars wiz by us on both sides.  She probably notices my slight fear of standing only 3 feet away on both sides from cars traveling 40 miles an hour.

I asked her if I could take a picture of her with her sign.  She agrees, but the camera on my phone doesn’t work.  I told her I would try to see her some day next week.  I thanked her for her time, wished her good luck, and said goodbye.

If anyone would like to reach Dana or help her, please let me know.

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Day 32 – Garland L.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , on January 16, 2010| 4 Comments »

So today my brother Ryan invited me to go with him to see the Washington Capitals hockey match against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The game was a lot of fun.  The Caps won easily 6-1.  Even though I was happy to see the Caps win, I felt sorry for the Maple Leafs’ goalie, Vesa Toskala.  He is from Finland and I have a soft spot for Finns having worked for a Finnish company for 7 years and seeing how passionate they are about their hockey.

After the game, Ryan and I walked toward Metro Center and passed a guy who had several buckets set up as a drum set.  He was jamming pretty good.  I thought, I ought to give this man my $10! 

Garland keeping the beat in front of the National Portrait Gallery

His name is Garland although many people know him as the “DC Street Drummer.” He is 33 and actually lives in Baltimore, not DC.  Garland and I chatted for a while.  He told me that he had been drumming on buckets since he was 13.  He comes down to DC because street musicians do not need a license here and you can make a decent amount of money according to him.  “Here at Gallery Place, I make about $100 a night, but over in Georgetown on 19th & M I can bring in $150 easily.” Not bad for doing a little drumming on equipment that he says cost him about $20.

An interesting tidbit is that while we were waiting to talk with Garland we saw a young drunk guy dancing in front of the drummer trying to impress some girls.  He threw a dollar in the drummer’s bucket and continued to dance.  Then he pulled his phone or something out of his pocket and we saw some money fall to the ground.  My brother and I both tried several times to tell the whacked-out dancer that he had dropped some money, but in his highly inebriated state he motioned for us to go away and stop bothering him.  After he left, my brother picked up the money that had fallen and discovered almost $50 in cash.  He put it in the Garland’s bucket.

Garland has one large industrial size trash can and then an array of buckets.  All are on top of those orange-colored pylons that police use.  He uses sawed off mop handles for drum sticks.  The rudimentary set up doesn’t hold him back as he methodically keeps the beat for those who are passing by.

Garland said that he doesn’t drink or do any drugs.  You would think that he was on something given the tremendous amount of energy he has.  He proudly tells me about a movie opportunity that he might have and some other gigs that he has been offered.  He talks about all the kind people that visit him every day.  It’s clear that he has carved a niche for himself here in DC.  If you would like to see him, you can check him out here.  If you want to see him live, keep an eye out (or maybe your ear open) for him around: Georgetown (19th/M), Downtown (9th/Constitution), Dupont Circle (South Metro entrance), and Gallery Place (in front of the National Portrait Gallery.)  Garland gave me his contact details if anyone would like to contact him for work or to do a story on him.

He says that he will use the $10 to pay for food for him, his wife, and two-year-old son.  I note this in my small black notebook and start to wrap up the conversation.  I see my brother talking to one of Garland’s friends, Gary.  I try to eavesdrop on what they are talking about all awhile listening to Garland.  I am not successful.  I can’t understand either of them.  So I decide to finish up and thank Garland.

By the way…I enjoy street drumming.  I think my favorite street drummers are Jermaine Carter (Boston), some street drummers from Chicago (don’t know their name, but there are like 4 or 5 of them that play together outside the baseball stadiums and around some of the L stations, and the Brazilian carnival drummers.  There’s something about the way Jermaine Carter contorts his mouth when he plays that is reminiscent of Sammy Davis Jr.

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Day 30 – Kenneth B.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2010| 3 Comments »

Today was a busy day!

I had an informative meeting with a friend of a friend on how to effectively incorporate twitter into my Year of Giving.  Look for this being added to the site soon.  Then I had a meeting with World Neighbors, a very impressive international development organization whose focus is to eliminate hunger, poverty, and disease in the poorest, most isolated rural villages in the developing world.  I urge you to check out their website and support their fantastic work.  Then I met up with Jenny from Day 13 to follow up on her thoughts about being a recipient of the Year of Giving and

Jenny from Day 13 in front of Kramerbooks where I met her

how her job search is going.  As you might remember, several YoG blog readers commented on suggestions for her to find work in the international public health sector.  Thanks to all that helped!  I should have a short video posted on Facebook soon where Jenny talks about her reaction to the Year of Giving as well as her own altruistic pledge!

Finally I went to the Embassy of Haiti to volunteer my time and resources to any efforts that they may have.  As I approached the embassy I was greeted by news trucks and a small memorial of candles and paintings.  Inside the embassy there was a very uncomfortable vibe.  Somber yet frantic if you can imagine.   The hustle and bustle of people was occasionally broken up by tears and desperation.  While I was there, I gave away my $10 to Gilles, a Haitian-American who lost his mother in the earthquake.  It was a very moving experience.  I will give a full report on Gilles tomorrow. 

I have been so busy, that I have not updated the blog on yesterday’s recipient…so here goes.

On day 30 I found Kenneth selling Street Sense at the Dupont Circle Metro entrance.  I bought a paper for $1.00 from the 43-year-old and asked if I could talk to him about a project I was doing.  He agreed and grabbed his personal items and suggested we have a seat nearby on a bench.  Kenneth is cheerful and full of energy. 

Kenneth selling Street Sense at the Dupont Circle Metro entrance

Before I finish telling you about my gift to Kenneth, let me say a few more words about Street Sense.  Street Sense is a great paper produced twice a month that is mostly run and written by those who are homeless or below the poverty level in DC.  You might recall David from Day 5 who was also selling Street Sense.  I have seen the Street Sense sales people for years, but never bought the paper.  Since I bought my first copy from David, I have really become a fan.  The paper is short and can be read in one sitting.  The stories are great and really give you insight into the DC homeless and poverty issues.  Sixty-five cents goes to the vendor and thirty-five cents goes to the paper.  The next time you see a sales person, stop, say hello, and buy an issue.  It’s a dollar!  These people are making an honest buck and the paper is great.  Here’s a little bit of trivia too.  Check out their vendor ID number and you can tell how long they have been at Street Sense.  They go sequentially from when they started so you might meet someone who has been there since the early days back in 2003 when it was started if they have a number under 20 for example.

Back to Kenneth.  He shared with me that he suffered from various conditions (bipolar, schizoaffective, and post traumatic stress) and as a result was living in a community residence facility (CRF), which is like an assisted living situation.  Although he said he wished that he could live on his own, I sensed that he understood that living in the CRF would help him get the most out of life.  

He enjoys selling the paper.  On good days, he sells his 20 papers within 2-3 hours.  Occasionally he gets the opportunity to mentor young professionals who want to experience what it is like to work for a nonprofit organization – he says he really enjoys that. 

I am mindful that my time with Kenneth is keeping him from selling his papers and wrap up our conversation.  He says he will spend the money on food this week.  I asked him if I could take his picture and he smiled and happily said that was fine.  He quickly went back to work hawking the remaining papers.  I encourage everyone who uses the Dupont Circle Metro to keep and eye out for Kenneth.  He is usually at the corner of 20th and Q.  Say hello, get a paper, and tell him that I sent you!  If you don’t live in the DC area, check to see if your city has a newspaper dedicated to the poor and homeless, lots of urban areas have them!

One final note, I heard back from Zazzle.com about sponsoring business cards for the Year of Giving.  They were delighted to help and will be shipping me 500 cards shortly!  THANK YOU!!!  Check out there site.  They have an interesting business model and do all kinds of other personalized items (clothes, mugs, etc.).

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Day 28 – Larry A.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , on January 12, 2010| 3 Comments »

Well, just when I thought I had resolved the problems with my unemployment situation, I found another hurdle.  You might recall I went in person a few weeks ago and met with the facility manager at the Rhode Island Ave. location, Ms. Bonham.  When I logged into the website to check to see if my payments had been processed I saw that it had the same error as before.  I called Ms. Bonham and she remembered me right away and said she would try to resolve this once and for all.  Despite the headaches I have had getting this to work, the people at the unemployment office have been extremely friendly and professional.

I am fortunate to have a small savings that can carry me over until I find new employment.  I have a college degree, solid professional experience, car, internet access, phone, etc.  I am sure that many people who are filing for unemployment do not have these things.  What would they do if they went three months without being able to get a resolution from the unemployment office?  How would they logistically or financially get themselves to the unemployment office?  Would they be able to access all the forms that they refer to online?  Ok, I will be quiet now.

So yesterday I got home from my theatre rehearsal around 11pm.  I still needed to give away my $10 so I went out to quickly find someone before midnight.  I found Larry sitting against a bank on a busy street.  As I approached him he asked if I could spare some change.  I asked him if $10 would help and he replied, “Hell yeah!” I kneeled down beside him and gave the 54-year-old lifelong resident of DC a crisp $10 bill.  He looked at it almost as if he was checking to see if it was counterfeit and then it disappeared into his coat.

Larry has been homeless in DC for more than 10 years.  He used to be a food and beverage supervisor at the Hyatt Regency.  When he lost his job he said that things just snowballed and he ended up on the streets.  Now he spends his days and evenings panhandling.  Larry laughs easily and grins revealing that half of his upper teeth are missing.  His eyes are glassy and the alcohol on his breath smells almost medicinal.  He says his eyes are really bad.  He needs prescriptive lenses and has cataracts.  His parents have passed away, but he has three siblings, a sister with whom he has contact, another sister that he has lost contact with and a brother that he is not in touch with since he was hospitalized for mental illness.  Needless to say, Larry has a handful of issues.

He is not shy to ask me questions.  Larry investigates why I am doing the Year of Giving, what others have done with the money, etc.  He says that he will spend the $10 to get some food this week.

I stood for a second to stretch my legs.  It was uncomfortable talking to him while standing though so I returned to my squatting position.  How do baseball catchers do it…my knees are killing me.  Our conversation sailed back and forth jumping all over the map.  He proudly told me that he met Dr. Martin Luther King when he was 9 years old when the great leader was giving a speech at a DC school.  He later goes on to ask what I was going to do on Martin Luther King Day.  Interesting that he asked, as my friend Kim just invited me to participate in a day of service preparing food next Monday for Martha’s Table, an organization that helps at-risk children, youth, families, and individuals in the community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing, and other support.  We will be preparing food for them.  Thanks for including me Kim!

I started to cough and am reminded that I need to get indoors and get some rest.  I have been battling a cold for some time.  I wish Larry well, shake his hand, and head home.

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Day 24 – Ron

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, Laundry, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2010| 3 Comments »

This one is a long one… go get yourself a cup of tea.   

I met up with some former work colleagues today.  It’s great to reconnect and hear how things are going for them.  On my way home, I came across a heavily bearded gentlemen sporting a hiking style backpack.   

Ron, a 40-year-old California native, says he has been in DC for almost 3 months.  He had hitchhiked his way from Phoenix to DC and hopes to continue on to Massachusetts after brunt of winter passes.   

After a long period of not finding work he found himself on the streets two years ago.  Ron says he is a good skilled laborer and has experience operating various types of equipment.   

Ron holds his $10 citation for possession of an open container of alcohol in public

 

We stood talking in the sub-zero temperatures for nearly 40 minutes.  Ron is easy to talk to and opens up to me very quickly.  He said it’s harder to get work as he gets older.  I told him that 40 wasn’t that old.  He shifted his weight from one side to the other and paused a little before speaking.  “I always want to know, how old do you really want to be? I don’t think I really want to be past 60.  A lot of people say they do, I just don’t.”  This was so sad to hear.  I found myself wishing I had some background in psychology and started to ask him some questions about his upbringing.      

At the age of three, Ron’s natural parents, whose names he does not know, gave him up.  He bounced around five different foster homes throughout his younger years. He does not have a solid relationship with his last foster family.  He even says that he doesn’t truly have a legal last name that he knows of.  He uses the last name of his last foster family; however, he was never legally adopted by them.   

There is a lot of pain deep inside him some place.  I decide to change the subject.   

In DC he supports himself by performing day labor and panhandling.  He usually goes to the Home Depot off Rhode Island Ave. and hopes to get picked up by work crews.  On days he panhandles he brings in about $30 per day.  “DC is tough,” he tells me as he mentions cities where one can receive a lot more money panhandling.  Salt Lake City and Las Vegas are much better according to Ron.  He says that a $100 day is not uncommon in Las Vegas, although he explains that panhandling on the strip is prohibited.   

Although Ron is living on the streets, he is a part owner of a house in California.  He and some of his foster brothers went in together on a house years ago, however, right now given the housing market lull, he doesn’t believe he will see any of that money for some years.  Although he doesn’t have a roof over his head, Ron is not bitter about his situation.  He points out that he often sleeps very comfortably in a little covered area just off of Dupont Circle.  As he describes the place, I realize he is describing the place where I found Ayalew.  I start to describe him to Ron and he immediately confirms that it is my friend from Day 20.   

So what is Ron going to do with my $10?  “I’ll probably get a little bit of food and maybe do some laundry,” he replies.  Then he changes his mind as he recalls that it is supposed to snow later in the evening.  He avoids laundry before snow/rain storms that end up getting him wet and dirty.  He then says, he might spend part of it on some alcohol.   

Despite Ron being extremely lucid, there was the distinct scent of alcohol on his breath.  He admits that he has an alcohol addiction and says that he was drinking earlier in the day.  In fact, he goes on to share that his drinking that afternoon resulted in him receiving a citation for having an open container of alcohol in public.  He unfolds the citation and shares it with me.  Would you believe how much the fine was for?  $10!  I said, “Hey, now you have money to pay the fine.”  He smiles and says that he fully intends on paying the fine because if he fails to do so and gets a subsequent ticket he potentially could be arrested.   

His entire encounter with the police department was quite interesting.  They asked him for ID and he showed them his DC ID card.  He showed me as well.  On the ID is a clean-shaven version of Ron.  His address is listed at 309 E Street.  “Is that where you live?” I asked.  He explained it was a Day Center where he sometimes goes.  “What should I put on the card?” he fired back.  “Bench next to Fountain, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC?”  He went on to explain that the confrontation with the police department went on for more than an hour.  Two additional units were called in for back-up since they could not find his name in the system.  He offered to leave the area many times, but they insisted on giving him a ticket.  He felt that this was unfair based on the fact that on New Year’s Eve he said there were some youths that were setting off illegal fireworks at Dupont Circle and the police came and didn’t even write them a citation.  “I wasn’t doing anyone any harm, those fireworks could have actually hurt someone.”   

Ron had been very generous with his time and I felt that I should let him get on his way.  I had one last question for him.  “What would you like the general public to know about people who are in your situation?”  He thought for a while and said that he hoped that people would understand that many people get to be homeless.  Many more, he goes on to say, are 1-2 pay checks away from being homeless.  As I was getting ready to leave he reminded me of the Day Center at 309 E Street where he says I will see first hand some of the struggles people are having.  “Take a body-guard though, it’s pretty rough there.”  Hmmm, I will have to think about that.  He also mentions  that he goes to Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization that offers homemade meals and high-quality support services to more than 4,000 homeless men and women each year.  I checked them out and they seem to be a good operation.  I asked him if he had ever received meals from S.O.M.E.?  He said he had in the past.  I brought it up because I have volunteered there and also started a corporate social responsibility program for a former employer that involved donating our time at S.O.M.E.   

I put my notebook away and asked if I could take a picture of Ron.  He said sure, and I got a picture of him holing his $10 police citation!  I couldn’t hold back my grin from the serendipitous timing of me giving him $10.

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Day 23 – Stephén

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , on January 6, 2010| 3 Comments »

Today I had a job interview.  I think it went well.  You never know though.  I met with some really talented people, so hopefully I measure up.

Before I forget, thanks to all the Facebook users who have visited the Year of Giving.  Also, for those of you who have not became a “fan”, check out the Facebook page.   Take a look, I will be putting up some video there which I have not been able to add so far to my blog.  Also, become a fan…who knows who will see that you have become a fan and be inspired to incorporate more giving into their life.

On my way home from the interview, I saw a Parking Enforcement Officer walking along one of DC’s downtown streets.  I knew immediately that I had to give my $10 to him.  I walked up to the 23-year-old who was typing away on his handheld parking enforcement device.  Stephén wins the prize for the recipient who was best prepared for winter weather.  The DC native had on some serious winter gear.  He had a total of about 5 square inches of skin exposed, that’s it.  Perhaps that helps keep his identity hidden as well in case somebody gets really angry with a ticket he writes!  Anyway, I was intrigued to speak to someone with a job that puts them in a high degree of direct contact with the public…and often the interaction is not civil. 

With an average of 50 tickets written each day, Stephén says that every day is an adventure.  He has been doing this for over a year and says that he loves it.  Even upset vehicle owners don’t deter him.  “If someone is wrong, then they’re wrong.  It’s that simple.” He understands people get upset, but, he wishes they would understand that he is only doing his job of enforcing the rules.  If you break the rules, then you get a ticket he says.  Despite plenty of irate confrontations, he says nobody has physically threatened him.  I would not have been surprised to hear that he had been assaulted.  People can go a little wacko. 

So what is Stephén going to do with his $10.  He said he would buy some lunch with it.  He thanked me for calling him a parking enforcement officer and not a “meter maid.”  “You’re probably the first person I have come into contact with on the street who has got that correct.”  He is a likeable guy.  The only thing I could possibly fault him with is his love for the Dallas Cowboys!  I can’t believe we have a lifelong DC resident that is a Dallas Cowboys fan.  Unbelievable!  “There’s more Cowboys fans here in DC than Redskins fans,” he said.  Given the ‘Skins performance this year, he might be right.

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Day 21 – Almena

Posted in Food & Beverage, Something for others, tagged , , on January 4, 2010| 5 Comments »

Today got off to an interesting start.  Just after midnight this morning, the blog received its 1,000th visitor!  I was sleeping when it happened, but I had a little celebration this morning.  Then when I checked the news this morning, I read that a train had somehow crashed into a Holiday Inn hotel in Helsinki, Finland.  Shivers went down my spine (not just because my apartment was freezing this morning) when I realized I stayed in this very hotel the last time I was in Finland.  Weird.

Early this afternoon I was walking on U Street when I spotted Almena.  Almena is a beautiful 76-year-old woman.  She was braving the cold today as she walked slowly down the North side of U Street, using her cane to help her along.  

I stopped her and asked if she would be able to help me with a project that I was working on.  “Well, I don’t have any money” she gently replied.  I laughed and told her about the irony of what was about to happen.  She gladly accepted my $10.

It was so cold out and Almena’s neck was not well covered by her coat.  I almost recommended that she buy a scarf with the $10 to keep her warm on blustery days like today.  But, I didn’t want to influence her decision of what to spend the money on.  And although she might have been cold, I am telling you that she emanates a personal warmth that is just beautiful.  She thought for a moment and said she would buy some food with it.

Her soft words were orchestrated with a soothing albeit slight accent.  I am not sure from where, but it was the kind of accent that just radiates goodness.  We talked a little and I learned of some of the generous things she does regularly.  Just about then two women passed us on the street and said hello to her.  She lifted her head and shot back a pleasantry.  They lived in the area she said.  I bet Almena is quite the social butterfly. 

I explained to her more about what I was doing and then I said goodbye.  We only spoke for a few minutes, but she seemed like someone who I had known for many years.  I felt like I should have given her a hug when I said goodbye.

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Day 20 – Peter and Ayalew

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , on January 3, 2010| 6 Comments »

Today was bitter cold and windy.  The temperatures will approach 0 Fahrenheit over night with the wind-chill factor.  I went out around 9pm to look for a recipient of today’s $10.  With the weather so cold, I thought I would look for someone who was spending the night out in the cold.  They could probably use the $10 and I could let them know about the shelters.

From a distance, I saw Peter very methodically laying some blankets down on a wooden bench.  As I got closer, I could see that he was well prepared for the cold.  He had on several layers and I could only see from his eyes to the tip of his nose, the rest was protected from the frigid air.  The eyes, ivory with dark pupils, contrasted against the rich dark skin of his face.  Peter and I talked for a while. 

Originally from Sudan, I wondered how he could manage outside on a night like tonight, but he said he would be fine.  This was his first night he said in the cold, the other nights he had been staying in the shelters but he said people were bothering him there so he decided to sleep outside.  I urged him to consider going to a shelter, but he resisted. 

Peter never fully understood what I was doing.  And I never fully understood why he refused to take my $10, but he did.  We continued to talk and he finally conceded that if he and I were to meet again, then he would accept my $10.  I asked where he was during the day or if he would be back there to sleep again, but didn’t get a solid answer.  I went on my way to look for someone else.  All the while thinking about the conversation I just had.  I will keep my eyes open for Peter in the coming days.  After all, he and I made a promise.

Not far away, I saw someone in a cove-like area off of one of Washington’s many traffic circles.  They appeared to be settling in as well.  They had on so much clothing that I could not tell if it was a man or a woman until I got closer.  When I got about 15 feet away, I saw that there was another person sleeping nearby, completely covered by a gray blanket. 

Ayalew had his back to me, so I approached with caution as to not startle him.  I called out a friendly greeting and he looked over his left shoulder.  He too was very well covered.  His head was almost lost in the three layers of colorful hats and hoods he had on.  The 52-year-old said he has been here in DC for about a year.  He is a gentle man with a warm smile.  His soft words hide behind his beard.  I asked him where he was from originally as I detected an accent and experienced some minor challenges understanding one another.  “I am American”, he said.  I would have guessed he was from the Middle East.  A quick Google of the name Ayalew lead me to believe he is Ethiopian. 

I speak softly so that we don’t disturb the person sleeping a few feet away.  I ask my new friend if he would consider going to a shelter tonight to avoid potential frostbite.  He smiles and says that he is fine.  “I have so much clothes and personal items, that I prefer not to go to the shelter because I can not look after my things” he adds. 

I explain the Year of Giving and ask him if he will accept my $10.  He readily accepts and I hand him over two five dollar bills.  He says he will use the money to buy some breakfast tomorrow morning and some more food later this week. 

I am not quite ready to leave despite the pain I feel in my almost numb fingers.  I am somewhat intrigued by Ayalew.  Our conversation is comfortable, going back and forth like calm ocean waves reaching the shore.  He tells me a little about his family and that several family members, including his mother, are living in Texas and will be coming to DC soon.  He and his family hope to get a job some place in exchange for the rent of a room.  In the mean time, he says he spends most of his time reading and studying. 

As I started to leave, I told him about Adam’s Place, the emergency shelter that I had heard of yesterday.  He smiled, but said nothing.  I shook his hand and wished him a safe and warm night.

My walk home took about 10 minutes.  Despite my multiple layers of clothing, my body was cold and stiff.  I covered my face and picked up the pace.  I am so fortunate for what I have.  I take for granted the roof over my head and the “endless” supply of heat that keeps me warm inside.  When I am hungry, I need only to open the refrigerator or the cupboard and I am greeted by a myriad of delicious options.  Meeting and talking to Peter and Ayalew made me appreciate this.  They gave me something far more valuable than $10.

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Day 12 – “Phil” at the Post Office

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , on December 26, 2009| 1 Comment »

The day after Christmas.  It’s always a bit bitter-sweet.  I am always a tad disappointed when I wake up on December 26th and am not greeted with gifts neatly wrapped in colorful paper waiting to be claimed.  It’s kind of like the last day of a wonderful vacation.  Sure the vacation was great, but it’s painful to accept the return to reality.  

Anyway, my father and I got up and went out to run some errands.  Along the way we went to the post office to send my health insurance provider a check for $5.40.  Somehow THEY sent me the incorrect invoice last month and then adjusted it leaving me owing them (adjustments somehow never end up in your favor) $5.40 by Thursday to avoid “termination of the participation in the Plan.”  

The post office was quite empty.  I for some reason expected it to be rather busy.  We were greeted promptly and helped to send our letter: Priority with Delivery Confirmation.  The post office has become rather confusing.  There are all these different types of envelopes, small forms to sometimes fill out, and options to decide.  If I am sending something other than a regular letter, which I do so infrequently now, I have no idea what I need to fill out to ensure that it gets there, not necessarily the fastest, and that I get some type of confirmation.  Let’s not even venture into the area of if I want insurance or not on the value of the contents contained.  For these reasons, I urge our current Post Master General, Jack Potter, to simplify the process or have one line that is just for questions, because I often wait in line for 20 minutes only to find out that there is a small yellow or white piece of paper that I didn’t fill out.

So, I got everything resolved and decided why not give my $10 today to the nice man who helped us at the Post Office.  I would list his name and basic things about him as I normally do, but I don’t want him to somehow get in trouble for any reason for taking my gift.  I have heard about crazy things happening at the post office, so I am not taking any chances.   We’ll call him “Phil.” 

Phil said he was going to use the money to grab some lunch.  It was just before noon, so my $10 came at the appropriate time!

Thanks for participating Phil.  I hope you had a great lunch.

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Day 8 – Kevin and Betsy

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money back, Refusals, tagged , , , , on December 23, 2009| 6 Comments »

Well….yesterday something happened that I hadn’t prepared myself for.

I tried unsuccessfully to give the $10 to a woman with a small child leaving the Takoma Park Metro.

Later, I boarded the Metro around 10pm and decided to approach a man sitting by himself to see if he would accept my $10.  Kevin, a 50-year-old African-American father and grandfather, was a bit suspicious when I explained what I was doing.

He pondered over it for a few seconds and then said “sure.”  There was a benevolence about him that I initially detected but which later was further revealed.   He explained how he tries to incorporate “giving” into his daily life.  He thanked his mother for instilling those values in him.  He mentioned that he had just given some food to someone this week who was asking for help.

Kevin told me that he was going to give the money to someone else.  I explained that that was exactly one of the intended consequences of my work; to inspire others to give.

He and I talked about why people give or don’t give.  We both agreed that when it comes to giving to a panhandler for example, that it is often less based on a conscious decision and more based on a feeling that you have at that moment.  Maybe it’s how they approach you or something they say that triggers you to give.  Of course there is the exception of those who always give or never give.

The train pulled into the station and Kevin stood up and expressed his thanks and offered me his hand.  I shook his hand only to find he had palmed the $10 and given it back to me.  He quickly went to the door and said, “I told you I was going to give it to someone who deserved it…I just did!”

Well…Kevin, I was not expecting this.  I was kind of shocked.  I didn’t know how to react.  Before I could really move, he was gone.  A woman who was in the car, Josephine, had been watching what was going on and came and sat down next to me.  Unaware of how much she had overheard or seen, I explained what I was doing.  She was very nice and I would have really liked to have spoken with her more, however, I myself had to get off at the next stop.  During our brief encounter she did tell me about an article about an altruistic gentlemen from Montana named Ben Kennedy that was in yesterday’s New York Post.  It’s worth a read.  I wish I could have encountered him and learned how he would have used my $10.

Anyway, back to the story.  So there I was on the escalator out of the Metro.  I still had my $10 and I was left with the question of whether I should keep it or not.  I say that people can do anything they want to with the money.  His choice was to give it to me.  I still felt like I should give it to somebody else. What do you think I should do in these situations?

I could have given it to Josephine.  But now she was gone too.  I headed on foot through the slushy streets a few blocks east.  I was headed to the apartment of my friends Chris and Karrin who had traveled to Omaha to spend Christmas with Karrin’s family.  I was going to pick up their dog Ruben for the night and take him to Little Rascals dog kennel the following day.  Ruben was a lot of fun…such a well-behaved dog, made me want to get one.

Just as I arrived at their apartment, I found a potential recipient.  Betsy was from DC, well Iowa originally, but has been here for “a really long time.”  A white woman about 30, Betsy works at a well-known coffee establishment.  She has an MBA and worked the corporate world for a while but has chosen to take a break from all of that.  She was rather fascinating.  She said she stopped for me because she thought I was a lost tourist.

I asked her what some good coffee joints were in the area, and she quickly brewed up some answers.  In addition to her own establishment, she highly recommended Buzz in Alexandria, Swing’s by the World Bank, and Baked and Wired in Georgetown.  Acording to Betsy, Buzz has phenomenal baked goods as well.

Betsy accepted my $10 and said she was going to go to the mini mart and buy a couple of Totino’s frozen pizzas.  She confessed that she probably eats pizza at least 2-3 times a week.

I gave Betsy the web address and told her to check it out.  We exchanged holiday pleasantries and went on our ways.  Off to pick up Ruben!

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Day 4 – Julie

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged on December 18, 2009| 4 Comments »

Another cold day.  Were supposed to get 6-12 inches of snow over the next 24 hours or so.  Should be fun.

I found today’s $10 recipient on my way home from the gym.  Julie is a 30 something professional.  She stood, feet firmly planted on the curb with her eyes fixated on the busy street in front of her.  Next to her sat a rather large wrapped box…about 2’x 2’. 

I don’t know why I picked Julie today.  Maybe it was the curiosity of what was in the box.  Maybe it was because she was standing still…I realize now that this makes people easier targets for me.  If someone is moving I either need to convince them to stop and talk to me or walk and talk all while assuring them that I am not a creepy stalker.  She was also standing alone…I have hesitated to approach couples, groups, etc. to avoid having to decide which person to give the $10 to.  I guess I could divide it up…that’s an idea.  Or give them the option.  Anyway, I am still new at this so cut me some slack.

Anyway, back to Julie.  The thirty-something resident of DC quickly told me that she was waiting for her husband to pick her up.  I sensed that she was pretty skeptical of me…we spoke for less than 10 minutes and I am certain that she was convinced that there was some catch or I was out of my mind…although she might be right about the latter.  It also probably didn’t help that I was wearing bright red nylon work-out pants, on my way home I noticed some small children staring at them in an almost hypnotic trance – perhaps they thought I was an off duty Santa Claus. 

Anyway, she folded the two five dollar bills into her hand while fighting off a look of befuddlement.  She wasn’t sure what she would do with the money.  She explained that she might be leaving tonight to drive to St. Louis for the holidays.  FYI Mapquest says that is a 13 hour and 43 minute drive covering 862.26 miles!  Wow.  They either better have gotten on the road right then or probably waited until Sunday if the storm is going to be as bad as they say.  When I pressed her again about what she was going to do with the money, she said probably that it would be spent on coffee at some place on the road to St. Louis.

Julie seemed like an interesting person…the type that had our meeting not been so weird that you would spend more time talking to.  She even mentioned that her and her husband have a wedding band.  My brother is getting married in February…maybe he needs a wedding band…I bet I could get them to give him a good deal…at least $10 off J.  I wished Julie well and as I was leaving she stopped me, extended her right hand, asked me my name, and thanked me.  You’re welcome.

Day 4 is done…and the snow is on its way.  In case you are wondering, I forgot to ask her what was in the big box.

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Day 3 – JR

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, tagged on December 17, 2009| 3 Comments »

Today was cold.  I thought I would look for someone who was living on the streets.  It didn’t take me long before I walked by JR.

I have actually seen JR before…probably even given him some money too.  As I walked by, he charismatically asked me for some help.  I asked if I could sit down and talk to him and he grinned revealing a warm albeit almost toothless smile.    

Originally from DC, JR said he was in his 50s and has been on the streets for about 15 years.  He said he got on the streets after 20 years of “being in trouble.”  He sometimes stays at St. Lukes or the La Casa shelter.  He commented on the pros and cons of each.  “St. Lukes kicks you out at 6am…and its cold that early.” 

He had cane leaning against his leg and showed me his knee…the right knee noticeably larger than the left.  He said it was full of fluid and he needed to get it drained.  Then he pulled out his left hand from his coat and revealed his thumb which he said was cold “due to anemia.”  His hands looked tired and leathery and the left thumb felt more like a Popsicle.

JR says he is going to get some chicken soup and maybe a beer with the money.  I told him about Knox’s fondness for eggnog and he too divulged a soft spot for the concoction.  Although he was going to spend the $10 on himself, he said that he once found $300 next to an ATM.  Upon finding it, he claims to have shared a few $20s with some friends. 

He must have asked three more times for more money before I left.  However, I am not too worried about JR.  He is a brilliant salesman at heart.  He must have got $4 plus a cigarette from others during the 15 minutes I sat with him.  He said some days he brings in close to $100.  He deftly manages conversation with me as he scopes the passing foot traffic and tries to lure contributions to his paper cup in his right hand.  He even told me that he was interviewed on MTV’s The Real World Washington, DC.  I believe him too.  He is quite the showman.  I have a feeling that today was not the last we will hear about JR.

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