Monday, July 16, 2012


1874- THE MONEY PIT

 The other day I took a few pics of my homeless friends.

I thought I better get them while I can- I have had a few of the guys die on me.

So- I checked my old cell phone and found a few from some friends who died already [Shelby] - plus a few old pics from the fire dept.

I’ll try and post them this week.

Okay- the day I took the recent pics I saw Buck.

I haven’t seen Buck in around 3 years.

[I had heard he died once- then later saw him.

Henry- who is usually real reliable- a trusted friend- told me Buck died.

He also told me Roger died in jail.

And he told me Vern died [all over a period of 3 years or so].

Then one day while sitting at the mission- with Henry- Buck showed up.

‘Hey Buck- I heard you died’.

Then Roger showed up.

‘I can’t believe it- you’re alive too’.

I realized at that point that Henry was not the most reliable source when it comes to the Obit column.

I will not be surprised if I see Vernon one day. ]

Bucks a nice guy- but a falling down drunk- you know- the type that’s so drunk he passes out on the street.

I’ll admit- I have had my problems with drinking a little more than you should over the years- no excuses.

But Buck goes real overboard.

The thing that surprised me was Buck was missing an arm- he lost a ton of weight- and he’s in a wheel chair.

He looked so bad- almost to the point where you would avoid him.

When the guys went inside the mission to eat- I sat opposite Buck at the table.

Buck recognized me and asked for a couple of dollars.

I try not to give drunks money- but I have given a few guys a few dollars.

I give away money- but I realize with Buck he will drink.

So- I had a 20 on me- and asked for change from the workers at the mission.

No one had any- after a little while I gave Buck the 20.

Was he happy?

Yeah- and no.

Being he’s in a wheel chair- and one arm- he can’t push the thing [you know- circles].

So he asked if I could push him to the restroom.

They have a bathroom for the homeless- and one for the employees.

The homeless one was occupied- so Buck had me turn him around and he ‘went’ in the workers bathroom.

 I had no idea about the rule- but when he asked me to stop him at the workers bathroom- he stood up and took a leak.

The lady that runs the place screamed at me [no lie] ‘your gonna clean it up mister’.

I said- fine- if that’s what you want- no problem.

I did.

Look- I was in the Navy before- so having ‘latrine duty’ was no biggy.

When I wheeled Buck back to the table- he bummed a cigarette from Don and asked me to wheel him outside for a smoke.

I told him I was gonna sit inside for a little bit- but he would not stop asking.

Buck is a narcissist- he found someone who was willing to help- and the demands came- one after the other.

I wheeled Buck outside- and had to walk away- he would not stop seeking  his own welfare- nonstop requests.

So- I sat with Andy and Huey- old friends.

Huey asked if I had a couple of dollars- I told him [and Tammy] ‘look- I had a 20- I wanted to get change- and you guys could have split the money- but Buck has the 20’.

They wanted me to get the 20 back- and they would get change.

I told them ‘I’m finished with Buck- if you want- you get the change’.

The wheels started rolling [in their head- not Bucks chair].

So- after a few requests- they conned Buck out of the 20.

He wanted cigarettes [another request] and Andy said he’d get the smokes- and then bring a 10 back- and Huey and Andy and Tammy would split the rest.

So- Andy gets back [he had someone’s truck] and as he spreads the loot- Huey grabs the 10 and Buck gets the cigs and 2 dollars.

Bucks pissed- Huey laughed- and I told them ‘I don’t care who gets what- leave me out’.

Actually- first I said ‘hey- I just remembered- I have no gas- can somebody lend me 2 Bucks’.

Yeah- a test.

Actually- they all were willing to give me a couple back.


I know to some folk- this looks bad.

In a way it is- trust me- I have lots of friends who never- not one time- ask me for money.

I had some that took me out to eat- they saved thru out the week so they could buy.


And the whole thing this day- well- it was kind of funny in a way- I know these guys well- real well.


Huey was asking Andy [his brother] to go down the block- to the motel- and go to room ?- tell the girl ‘I’m Huey’s brother’ and then get the 2 ‘things’ in the cabinet.

Now- I realize he’s giving him directions to get some type of drug.

Not sure what type- maybe Meth- it’s popular in this area [called Ice].

But Andy kept saying ‘look Huey- if you want me to go- tell me what it is’.

He didn’t want to say it with me there- I walked around the building for a sec- and came back.

Andy went on the mission.

He came back- the girl was not there.

When I was going thru my phone pics- I saw I had one of Andy and John David [all 3 are real brothers- Andy, John David and Huey].

And I thought I will post that one for sure- we were at my house and had a fellowship- we did the lords Supper right in the yard.

John David and Andy are actually seeking God.

At the time of the picture- John David was clean from drugs for a couple of months.

He had a great story- wrote about it at the time- but he really made an effort to seek the Lord.

I guess I’ll re- tell the story- it’s worth it.

Many years ago when the brothers lived in Dallas- John David shot- and killed his best friend with a shotgun.

The case gained publicity- and John’s mom did her best to get her son a good lawyer.

She was told that the best guy was the guy who actually defended the guy who shot Lee Harvey Oswald.

He told me the name- I forget it now.

But his mom went to the lawyer’s office and waited all day- he was trying to avoid her.

Finally- at the end of the day- he came out of the room and she asked if he could defend her son.

He did the job pro bono.

He got John off.

John told me a year later he went to his friend’s grave and ‘pissed on it’.

He was in no mood to repent.

The family moved to Corpus after that [early 70’s].

And John David had a thriving construction business.

He also hated the homeless people.

John became a big time addict [Coke- etc.]

He eventually lost it all and wound up on the streets- with the people he despised.

Over the years when I met the different guys on the streets- John kept his distance.

He looked bad- scary looking- like someone that would indeed shoot you to be honest.

Anyway- I met his brothers- Andy and Huey- and John kept his distance.

One day at the mission John was different.

He actually couldn’t wait to tell me the story.

A few months earlier he was all strung out down by the bay [I’ll post these pictures too- we live surrounded by water].

He was doing the usual thing- getting high.

He was tired- he lost his business- family [he had a boy get run over- the boy- and the doctor who ran him over- were both drunk at the time- the boy died].

John sat there and said to God ‘if you’re fucking real- then do something’.

A couple of days later- 2 strangers came up to him and offered to pay 5 thousand to send him to the local re-hab- called Charlie’s place.

John went- met a bunch of Christians- and got clean- and dedicated his life to God.

John came over to the house a few times- we had a few fellowships [I’ll post the pics] and he stayed clean- for a long time.

That’s been about 5 year’s now- and the other day I heard one of the guys tell Andy ‘I heard John David was not doing well’.

I dreaded to ask- but I did ‘what do you mean- he’s back on drugs’?

The guy- who did not know me from Adam- said ‘no- actually he’s be clean for years- but he needs heart surgery and back surgery’.

I was not glad to hear about the medical problems- but was glad to hear he was still clean.

So- all in all it was a good day.

Yeah- the guys fought over the 20.

I cleaned the bathroom.

But in the end- it was worth it.

 Oh yeah- John David got his answer ‘I’M REAL’.




Note- Do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to ‘click’ the note App on my Facebook Profile- I have posted lots.







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