My studies

Thursday, August 30, 2012



1899 GIZMO

This week I met John at the mission.

Maybe the last 2 weeks?

Anyway- when he first showed up he just looked like one of the new guys that shows up every so often.

You have people from all over that gravitate to the shore regions of the country- and we are one of those spots.

John was a little different- he had this cute Chewowa [sp?] dog- named Gizmo- and he is a ‘jolly’ type fella.

So- to some- they might paint John as gay- you know- loving on this little dog- jolly.

Now- if he were- I wouldn’t care- I mean I still be-friend people from all backgrounds- and I forgot to mention this in the post I did about race.

That a couple years back there was a nice Black kid- he came from a ministry background [family started churches and stuff all over the area].

One day I took him shopping- to the grocery store- we had a couple of other street guys.

Sometimes I’ll take the guys to the store and let them buy some stuff they need [on my debit card].

But Tracy basically food shopped.

Tracy is also gay.

It was quite expensive.

The other guys got mad ‘hey- John pays for this out of his pocket’.

Sometimes people think I have some type of ‘ministry fund’ and they might spend more than they need.

I just went with it- I was broke for the rest of the month- but what the heck.


So- just wanted to defend myself a little- being I do write on race issues- yet I believe in helping all types- even gay friends.

So- even if this new guy was gay- I don’t judge him.

But- as I talked with ‘jolly John’ I came to find out he’s not gay- but a widower.


John was a plumber for 35 years- lived in Arlington [Texas- the city where the Texas rangers come out of].

A few years ago his wife got real sick- and in October of last year she took her own life.


John always wanted to live near the ocean- he sold everything he had and spent the money coming to Corpus.


He got a job right away- working right by the mission for a mechanic shop.


Yesterday I took my van for an inspection- sure enough he was there.

So right off the bat I know John is different- lots of the guys have stories- but to put it bluntly- they don’t want to work.

This is a real problem for sure- and when you read all my posts defending the poor- don’t confuse that with thinking I’m defending able bodied people- who are not working.


No- I try to spend my money helping people who are not on the free programs- or who are really in need.

Yeah- I have given to those who I probably shouldn’t have- but all in all I am against guys just living off the free dole- when they need to work.



So- John has a good job- and he’s saving up for a cheap apartment.


He told me he’s living in the broken down car wash that’s attached to the mechanic shop.


For you local friends- he works at Fast Trax- in the Bluff- right by the HEB parking lot.



John sleeps there with his little dog- Gizmo [I’ll try and post some pics this morning?]



Yeah- John has an interesting story- a hard working man- who came upon hard times- and wound up ‘on the street’ at least for a little while.



It would be easy to look at John and judge him- I mean he is eating at the free mission [I never eat the free food by the way].

And he is a big boy- overweight- and admits it.


So- at first glance you could peg him as a freeloader who refuses to work.



When John told me about his wife taking her life- John cried.


I felt bad for him- he seems like a very nice guy.


As I sat in the shop waiting for my inspection- sure enough- his little dog Gizmo is chained up to a chair in the waiting area.


The poor baby is shaking- you know how those little pups shake- and I guess he sits by himself all day.


He’s just staring at the door where his ‘daddy’ walked thru- hoping he comes back.


Kinda sad story to be honest.


Yet John has this happy go lucky way about him- he laughs and jokes at the mission.


He lets his little puppy lay on him- he’s really an interesting guy.


John is one story- one friend- out of hundreds- maybe thousands of friends I have made over the years.



Yeah- there have been times where some of ‘my friends’ were people that others would not be around.


Dangerous type people.

Others are like John- just a good person who fell on bad times.



I have a verse posted here right behind me.

It says ‘she that tarried at home divided the spoils’.

It’s in the book of Psalms.



I posted it a few years ago- right behind the chair I’m sitting on right now while I blog.


To me it says there will be friends who read these posts- and maybe they will never see the John’s of the world.


Maybe they will live their lives as most people do.

Good lives- working- raising kids- things that are noble and good.


But to these friends- the verse I just quoted is very important.

It tells me that God intended for some of our ‘community’ to ‘stay at home and have a part’.



To you- most of you are women- don’t underestimate the need to pray for me and my friends.

I have gone thru the Gospel of Matthew- Acts- Romans and am in Corinthians right now.


Yes- I am a big bible reader- as well as a writer on all the other things.


The Apostle Paul was used by God- and in most [if not all?] of his writings- he says ‘please don’t forget to pray for me’.



For those who can- those who tarry at home- try and pray the ‘Our Father’ every day for me and my friends.


It might not seem much to you- but to be honest- I think it at times it has saved my life.


Thanks- from John- John- and oh yeah- little Gizmo.




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 scroll down on the timeline [Facebook] - I have posted lots.







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