When I started camping out with a friend on Markham Hill I never envisioned being evicted by the police.
I'm paranoid about the police and their overzealous pig-headed authoritative maneuvers.
They like to show off their macho ways sometimes and bully innocent people around.
Rather than succumb to their eviction notice, I found the road less traveled and moved.
Thanks to Mike and Ryan Rusch I relocated to another isolated spot.
I just am tired of the mental fatigue and worries associated with police eviction convictions.
So, some might say I'm a coward and afraid of dealing with the police.
But I did not appreciate being awakened at 1:30 a.m. and told I was trespassing on private property.
I don't know who owns the land I'm slumbering on right now, but I'm going to be stealthy and sneak in late at night and early in the morning skulk out.
I left my tent standing at Duane's camp site, so the door is open for moving back if the police don't oust my friend from his comfort zone.
It was humorous when my tent was being disassembled when Duane said, "I'm going to miss this tent because of the skunks."
To paraphrase Bob Dylan, "Everyone must get skunked!"
Not sprayed!
Just someday when you least expect it wake up and find a skunk roaming around in your bedroom.
What would you do?
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
happiness is letting henry ho being your captain of your thanksgiving day.
I don't know how I would've survived without Henry. He doesn't want any credit but he's the greatest.
When we ate at Wiggins the television crew came in and the homeless scattered. Achie said why don't they take pictures of when the police tear down our tents.
Indeed. Let us be.
I don't know how I would've survived without Henry. He doesn't want any credit but he's the greatest.
When we ate at Wiggins the television crew came in and the homeless scattered. Achie said why don't they take pictures of when the police tear down our tents.
Indeed. Let us be.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Heartsafire
During the holidays we join with friends and thank God for all the blessings we've received during the past year.
The year began with me incarcerated for something I didn't do.
I pondered why I was being tested.
When I was released after 107 days I suffered some more.
Finally I reevaluated my goals in life and finished my series of articles on homelessness which were published for a week in May.
Then, I still wondered what's next?
The next turning point in my life occurred when I attended the Homelessness Awareness rally at the UofA.
A man sat down beside me and gushed with praise for my articles. Unbeknownst to me, he was a blessing from God.
We talked that night about how Fayetteville's churches were very supportive of the homelessness and feeds every day of the week.
In contrast there's no such support group in Benton County.
I fell asleep underneath a tree without a blanket or a tent.
The next morning another man approached me and casually said, "I want to help. I just don't know how."
I remarked that there was no place to go for breakfast on Saturdays because Seven Hills shut down on Saturdays.
He kindly asked me if I cared to join him for breakfast.
I know God's hand was involved in that conversation.
I've been blessed ever since.
Nate Allen, who offered me my first job at the Springdale News, intervened again when he engineered an alliance with Norm DeBriyn, who proffered a helping hand at Ruby Tuesday's.
Norm gave a highly favorable recommendation to Curt Yates who oversees the ushers at Arkansas sporting events.
Then, Norm saw me at the Arkansas-Auburn football game and praised Curt for hiring me and helpfully asked him if I was going to be ushering at basketball games.
Eventually I acquired Lady Razorback basketball games, too.
So, what do I have to be thankful for?
Nate Allen, Norm DeBriyn, Mike Rusch and his brother Ryan, Brian Smith of the Campbell Soup Co., Aaron Elleman of Saatchi and Saatchi, Rob Apple of Disney, and another marketing whiz who desires anonymity.
All these good fellows made my life more tolerable and easier to adapt to life's vicissitudes.
They reestablished broken links to a support network which have made my life much more serene.
I still struggle with life's challenges but keep the faith that sooner or later I'll understand why I'm still homeless.
I firmly God is using my writing talents to enlighten.
Last, but probably the greatest influence on my renaissance from sleeping in the back seat of a car to a tent, is Kent Marts, editor extraordinaire.
Originally I went to him seeking an article I'd written about Frank Broyles to try and break back into the journalistic circle.
Kent quipped, "David, why don't you write about homelessness."
That adventure led me through a myriad of experiences including: sleeping in the woods during the remnants of Hurricane Ike, trekking and slip sliding and almost drowning in a gully washer, enduring Pepe LePew's interloping in my tent, and now facing eviction from a camp site.
So, what's it all about?
I don't have any of the answers, but I'm still striving to understand the deep mysteries of life.
With God on my side and with the altruistic Christian aid of friends I will persevere and continue to document the vicissitudes associated with sleeping in a tent.
Too bad the police don't read this and try and understand how it feels to be awakened at 1:30 a.m. and accused of trespassing.
In conclusion, Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and relatives who've conversed via e-mail and Facebook.
Hopefully by Christmas it will be better to give than receive.
The year began with me incarcerated for something I didn't do.
I pondered why I was being tested.
When I was released after 107 days I suffered some more.
Finally I reevaluated my goals in life and finished my series of articles on homelessness which were published for a week in May.
Then, I still wondered what's next?
The next turning point in my life occurred when I attended the Homelessness Awareness rally at the UofA.
A man sat down beside me and gushed with praise for my articles. Unbeknownst to me, he was a blessing from God.
We talked that night about how Fayetteville's churches were very supportive of the homelessness and feeds every day of the week.
In contrast there's no such support group in Benton County.
I fell asleep underneath a tree without a blanket or a tent.
The next morning another man approached me and casually said, "I want to help. I just don't know how."
I remarked that there was no place to go for breakfast on Saturdays because Seven Hills shut down on Saturdays.
He kindly asked me if I cared to join him for breakfast.
I know God's hand was involved in that conversation.
I've been blessed ever since.
Nate Allen, who offered me my first job at the Springdale News, intervened again when he engineered an alliance with Norm DeBriyn, who proffered a helping hand at Ruby Tuesday's.
Norm gave a highly favorable recommendation to Curt Yates who oversees the ushers at Arkansas sporting events.
Then, Norm saw me at the Arkansas-Auburn football game and praised Curt for hiring me and helpfully asked him if I was going to be ushering at basketball games.
Eventually I acquired Lady Razorback basketball games, too.
So, what do I have to be thankful for?
Nate Allen, Norm DeBriyn, Mike Rusch and his brother Ryan, Brian Smith of the Campbell Soup Co., Aaron Elleman of Saatchi and Saatchi, Rob Apple of Disney, and another marketing whiz who desires anonymity.
All these good fellows made my life more tolerable and easier to adapt to life's vicissitudes.
They reestablished broken links to a support network which have made my life much more serene.
I still struggle with life's challenges but keep the faith that sooner or later I'll understand why I'm still homeless.
I firmly God is using my writing talents to enlighten.
Last, but probably the greatest influence on my renaissance from sleeping in the back seat of a car to a tent, is Kent Marts, editor extraordinaire.
Originally I went to him seeking an article I'd written about Frank Broyles to try and break back into the journalistic circle.
Kent quipped, "David, why don't you write about homelessness."
That adventure led me through a myriad of experiences including: sleeping in the woods during the remnants of Hurricane Ike, trekking and slip sliding and almost drowning in a gully washer, enduring Pepe LePew's interloping in my tent, and now facing eviction from a camp site.
So, what's it all about?
I don't have any of the answers, but I'm still striving to understand the deep mysteries of life.
With God on my side and with the altruistic Christian aid of friends I will persevere and continue to document the vicissitudes associated with sleeping in a tent.
Too bad the police don't read this and try and understand how it feels to be awakened at 1:30 a.m. and accused of trespassing.
In conclusion, Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends and relatives who've conversed via e-mail and Facebook.
Hopefully by Christmas it will be better to give than receive.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
suffering
I often wonder why God is making me suffer.
I found inspiration in MacArthur Bible Companion. I'm not plagiarizing. I'm quoting.
1. There are matters going on in heaven with God that believers know nothing about; yet, they dramatically affect their lives.
2. Even the best effort at explaining the issues of life can be useless.
3. God's people do suffer. Bad things happen all the time to good people, so one cannot judge a person's spirituality by his painful circumstances or successes.
4. Even though God seems far away, perserverance in faith is a most noble virtue since God is good and one can safely leave his life in His hands.
5. The believer in the midst of suffering should not abandon God, but draw near to Him, so out of the fellowship can come the comfort -- even without the explanation.
6. Suffering may be intense, but it will ultimately end for the righteous and God will bless abundantly.
I find solace and contemplative wisdom here.
I often wondered why I was homeless and suffering.
I chose to believe that God had a divine purpose in my life. To enlighten those who cared to listen and discern about homelessness.
No one can understand how it feels until one has lived the life of a homeless individual.
No one can understand until one has had a skunk invade one's tent.
No one can understand until one has had to spend time in jail for being homeless.
No one can understand until one has been evicted from one's camp site.
You've just gotta believe that God is testing you to see if you will come back to him and ask for guidance and perseverance.
Good things happen once you persevere and keep the faith.
Thank you God for your infinite wisdom and thanks for guiding me to these elements of the great theme of Job.
I found inspiration in MacArthur Bible Companion. I'm not plagiarizing. I'm quoting.
1. There are matters going on in heaven with God that believers know nothing about; yet, they dramatically affect their lives.
2. Even the best effort at explaining the issues of life can be useless.
3. God's people do suffer. Bad things happen all the time to good people, so one cannot judge a person's spirituality by his painful circumstances or successes.
4. Even though God seems far away, perserverance in faith is a most noble virtue since God is good and one can safely leave his life in His hands.
5. The believer in the midst of suffering should not abandon God, but draw near to Him, so out of the fellowship can come the comfort -- even without the explanation.
6. Suffering may be intense, but it will ultimately end for the righteous and God will bless abundantly.
I find solace and contemplative wisdom here.
I often wondered why I was homeless and suffering.
I chose to believe that God had a divine purpose in my life. To enlighten those who cared to listen and discern about homelessness.
No one can understand how it feels until one has lived the life of a homeless individual.
No one can understand until one has had a skunk invade one's tent.
No one can understand until one has had to spend time in jail for being homeless.
No one can understand until one has been evicted from one's camp site.
You've just gotta believe that God is testing you to see if you will come back to him and ask for guidance and perseverance.
Good things happen once you persevere and keep the faith.
Thank you God for your infinite wisdom and thanks for guiding me to these elements of the great theme of Job.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
thanksgiving
Thanks to one and all for giving me assistance during some tumultous times.
I can't enumerate all of the generosity but my heart says thanks.
I get frustrated at my plight but someone always seems to rally support.
I've been invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner.
Hopefully by then I will have found a new place to dwell. I'm tired of the Heartbreak Hotel.
I plan on writing a letter to the editor of the NWA Times this week in regards to the double standards imposed on homeless individuals.
The Mayor Lioneld Jordan told me the reason police uproot tents is due to the land owner's protestations.
The police harassed us at 1:30 a.m. two and a half weeks ago and said we were infringing, trespassing on private property and didn't have permission to be there.
Lo and behold, Officer Bill Phelan admitted the land owner didn't have a grievance about our camping out on her property.
So, where's the beef?
The police are over zealous sometimes.
Let's trade places with them sometime and see who has a more caring heart. Me or them.
Nevertheless, Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope the holidays will be celebratory and not times for grieving over lost opportunities.
We're all in this together. I try and do my part to help out the homeless.
We have enough problems as it is. We don't need unmerciful harassment and threats.
I can't enumerate all of the generosity but my heart says thanks.
I get frustrated at my plight but someone always seems to rally support.
I've been invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner.
Hopefully by then I will have found a new place to dwell. I'm tired of the Heartbreak Hotel.
I plan on writing a letter to the editor of the NWA Times this week in regards to the double standards imposed on homeless individuals.
The Mayor Lioneld Jordan told me the reason police uproot tents is due to the land owner's protestations.
The police harassed us at 1:30 a.m. two and a half weeks ago and said we were infringing, trespassing on private property and didn't have permission to be there.
Lo and behold, Officer Bill Phelan admitted the land owner didn't have a grievance about our camping out on her property.
So, where's the beef?
The police are over zealous sometimes.
Let's trade places with them sometime and see who has a more caring heart. Me or them.
Nevertheless, Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope the holidays will be celebratory and not times for grieving over lost opportunities.
We're all in this together. I try and do my part to help out the homeless.
We have enough problems as it is. We don't need unmerciful harassment and threats.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
flabbergasted
Gadzooks!
Moving can be a tremendous hassle when you're trying to juggle schedules during Thanksgiving week.
I'm ushering basketball games Tuesday night, Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
That's a piece of cake.
But having to reconfigure a campsite because of someone else's malfeasance becomes a very depressing scenario.
Yes, I'm a happy camper with my campmates.
No, I'm not a happy camper with the Fayetteville police who have falsely accused us of something we have no clue about.
Whenever a minister castigates you at a church meal that proves to be a very embarrassing situation.
A lady used her cell phone and called 911 over someone slapping her.
Then, the police awaken us at 1:30 a.m. and harrass us for something we didn't do.
We are told we are trespassing on private property and don't have permission to be there.
Then, we are given an eviction notice.
Then, we are told by an e-mail that the land owner doesn't have qualms about us being on their property.
Then, we are told to vacate again.
When will the nightmare end?
What did innocent people do to deserve this type of eviction?
I'm flabbergasted and aghast at the way I'm being treated.
I'm supposed to have the holiday spirit of thanksgiving.
I'm thankful for friends who care and share.
But I'm not thankful for the police's attitude towards the homeless who have enough problems as it is just trying to survive.
Just when I think I've turned the corner with a job, the police intervene in my life again at the most inopportune time.
I'm innocent until proven guilty.
Wrong.
Guilty until you move away.
Get out of your homelessness and don't come back again.
Bah, humbug!!
Moving can be a tremendous hassle when you're trying to juggle schedules during Thanksgiving week.
I'm ushering basketball games Tuesday night, Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
That's a piece of cake.
But having to reconfigure a campsite because of someone else's malfeasance becomes a very depressing scenario.
Yes, I'm a happy camper with my campmates.
No, I'm not a happy camper with the Fayetteville police who have falsely accused us of something we have no clue about.
Whenever a minister castigates you at a church meal that proves to be a very embarrassing situation.
A lady used her cell phone and called 911 over someone slapping her.
Then, the police awaken us at 1:30 a.m. and harrass us for something we didn't do.
We are told we are trespassing on private property and don't have permission to be there.
Then, we are given an eviction notice.
Then, we are told by an e-mail that the land owner doesn't have qualms about us being on their property.
Then, we are told to vacate again.
When will the nightmare end?
What did innocent people do to deserve this type of eviction?
I'm flabbergasted and aghast at the way I'm being treated.
I'm supposed to have the holiday spirit of thanksgiving.
I'm thankful for friends who care and share.
But I'm not thankful for the police's attitude towards the homeless who have enough problems as it is just trying to survive.
Just when I think I've turned the corner with a job, the police intervene in my life again at the most inopportune time.
I'm innocent until proven guilty.
Wrong.
Guilty until you move away.
Get out of your homelessness and don't come back again.
Bah, humbug!!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thanksgiving
Happy Turkey Day!
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Indeed next week folks in Fayetteville will have the opportunity to gobble all week long.
On Tuesday the Central United Methodist Church is serving a Thanksgiving meal at 11:30 a.m.
On Wednesday St. Paul's Episcopal Church is serving turkey and dressing and all of the trimmings.
On Thursday Wiggins Methodist Church is serving breakfast and the Salvation Army is serving Thanksgiving Dinner.
On Friday Seven Hills Homeless Center is serving Thanksgiving dinner.
So we all have much to be thankful for!
I have lots of people I need to thank for giving me shelter from the storms of homelessness, but most of them desire anonymity.
So I'll just thank them when I send out Christmas cards.
I'm still disconcerted about being evicted on Nov. 29.
I don't know exactly the scenario but I'll just go with the flow or flow with the go, whatever.
Nevertheless, Happy Thanksgiving Day to one and all.
I couldn't have survived the vicissitudes of 2009 without loving and caring and sharing friends and accomplices.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Yada, yada, yada.
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Indeed next week folks in Fayetteville will have the opportunity to gobble all week long.
On Tuesday the Central United Methodist Church is serving a Thanksgiving meal at 11:30 a.m.
On Wednesday St. Paul's Episcopal Church is serving turkey and dressing and all of the trimmings.
On Thursday Wiggins Methodist Church is serving breakfast and the Salvation Army is serving Thanksgiving Dinner.
On Friday Seven Hills Homeless Center is serving Thanksgiving dinner.
So we all have much to be thankful for!
I have lots of people I need to thank for giving me shelter from the storms of homelessness, but most of them desire anonymity.
So I'll just thank them when I send out Christmas cards.
I'm still disconcerted about being evicted on Nov. 29.
I don't know exactly the scenario but I'll just go with the flow or flow with the go, whatever.
Nevertheless, Happy Thanksgiving Day to one and all.
I couldn't have survived the vicissitudes of 2009 without loving and caring and sharing friends and accomplices.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Yada, yada, yada.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)