June 8th, 2013

From the Mcdonalds on Berkeot and Richards Blvd, which I mention here in the lead in because they have been very kind to me. When I lost all of my I.D - a catastrophic happening when one lives on the streets, the staff at McDonalds retrieved it, saved it, and returned it to me, saving me weeks of grief and turmoil in a life rife with it all ready. Thank you! staff at McDonalds, I owe ya big time  :)

The coffee at this restaurant has dropped in price from 1.06 with tax, to .54 cents, with one refill.  Thank you again, McDonalds, for our lives out here in the dirt is hard enough without having access to coffee!

Egregious Effluent

By StreetTalker

When I wrote the last post today, and shared it with Tom Armstrong, a fellow reporter out here, he made a point of mentioning that his feelings towards L and F (Loaves and Fishes)  are not the same compared to what I have written about them.  I do see his point in that with the many contributions that come in to this charity organization, the things that they helps us out with are on the miserly side.  I put it down to being thrifty and to an attempt to be prepared for all of the tomorrows that will need to be taken care of for us street people.  After all, our population is growing exponentially with the decrease in available work and housing for the less than fortunate, and our needs are ever increasing out here, with that explosion in growth.

I do know that the porta-potty situation should be improved on greatly. There are over 600 people around this area daily, and only two porta potties to go around.  You can imagine that with an uncertain diet for many of the homeless,(garbage cans) that the effluent is sometimes egregiously ... effluent.  Two are simply not enough to go around, and in this heat they need to be emptied at least three times a week, and not one, as is currently the case.  They are not even placed in a shaded area! Ever hear of Typhoid? Well, I would make book that it is making a come-back in urban areas, simply due to piss-poor (apology for the pun) waste management for the homeless. If Europe and New York can introduce and maintain street-side toilets that look like time capsules, that always work, and are always clean because they clean themselves - why the heck can’t the CAPITAL CITY of California, with a population base to be it’s own country, do it?  

 When discussion on the street between us denizens of the dirt turns to the porta-potty situation, you can believe that voices are raised and hearts are hurt by the disregard shown us by our elected officials.  We cannot understand how this situation is allowed to continue.  When the porta-potty cleaning truck comes along once a week (with holidays we are lucky if they come at all) the fumes are stinging to the eyes, and breath becomes a wheeze of disgust.  A few weeks ago the Fire Department that is on the corner down from Mary House,  requested that the potties be moved from in front of the firehouse, and now they rest in front of the area where we are fed.

Thank you for that, one more occasion to feel disgust about our situation.