Burger King and the homeless guy...

Alright so I am being "blog yelled at" by people for not blogging...I just don't feel that alot of things are blog worthy. I also don't feel like my life is in any way exciting. But that is my commitment in oh nine to blog more. So here goes

My New Year!! Oh Nine! Here is what I am going to do...I am giving up fast food. I will be cooking more at home and saving the money. I was going to give up sugar, but I blame that idea on temporary resolution insanity. What the "H" was I thinkin'??

I am also going to walk every day at least 20 minutes. (weather permitting)...see, how boring is that? Snoozer. I have to add that I am perfectly content here with my boring little life, and am in no way inviting drama into it.

Today, New Years Day...this is what I did. I went to work for a little while and did a few people's hair who did not mind coming in on New Years Day.
Then I went to investigate the history of my homeless guy that I found Christmas time. I will give those of you who don't know some back story. I went to Dollar Store here in town before Christmas, to get some blankets to give to the needy/homeless peeps in Dallas.
The guy behind the counter was a little shocked because I brought 15 blankets up to the counter, he then said " are you having alot of company coming for Christmas?" I said " nope these are for the homeless" he then proceeded to tell me that he had been worried about " our own homeless guy"...I was like " what? We have one? Where is he?"
He pointed into the parking lot and said that he was living in his car and had been there for a few years. I was like "reeeeally,... interesting...." so I began to noodle about this guy.

Now I am not writing this to get ANY kudos for anything I am writing it because this is my life...

So... I drove by his broke down car and just took a quick inventory of his " house"..
He has a black garbage bag for a drivers side window and the grass that grew out of the cracks in the parking lot cement under the car, was tall, crunchy, and it had long been dead, indicating it had been in that position for a long long time...obviously the car had been not running for some time...
He was not there.
He had a sleeping bag and a bag of bread in the back seat. My heart hurt for him. It had been cold the past few days and it was Christmas time...
Christmas morning I took him a breakfast sandwich from Burger King and a hot fresh coffee. It was still dark outside but the light from the sun was just beginning to crown on the horizon. My breath made columns of steam as it came out of my lungs, it was really cold.
I tapped on the backseat window and held up the BK bag and steaming coffee cup as a "look, I come in peace" way. Not knowing what to expect, my eyebrows were up and I think I bared every tooth in my head, in efforts that he would know I meant him no harm.

(wow this turned into a novel...sorry about that)

The dark blue sleeping bag rustled a little bit, then out popped a scruffy little dude with dark brown hair. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and blinked a few times. His eyes were the same color as his hair and his skin was as pale as paper.

He looked at me and I looked at him for what seemed like a full minute but I am sure it was just a second or two...I said " Merry Christmas my friend, I brought you breakfast!" He sat up, rolled down the window and said " What? I am getting breakfast in bed?? Wow this is great! God bless you! " I handed him the food and coffee and I turned and said "have a great day!!"

I then went downtown to help there. Later that day I brought him a blanket, a jacket and thermal shirt, and 10 dollars. He was not there but I put it in his car and just left.

I have been going by every few days and taking him some food. My heart is really pulled toward him and his circumstances. I want to pick him up and take him to get food at Golden Corral so he can get what he wants, but more importantly, I want to talk with him.

I want to know how I can help him. I mean it is obvious that help is needed, but will he take it? I would like to get his window fixed.
I have to be smart about this and I didn't know anything more than he lives in that car, and has for a few years. I need know first if he is violent or whatever...

So today I went investigating...I first went to his shopping center neighbors...First, the Dollar Store, but the guy who told me about him was not there today, so I asked the little lady working the register.
She was a sweet looking little lady but when she opened her mouth her voice was harsh and crackly. Obviously she was a long time smoker as her white gray hair wreaked of smoke and her fingers were stained with nicotine.
Her little eyebrows were non-existent and she drew them on with a way too dark pencil...but she used those eyebrows for alot of emphasis in her retelling of her one and only story of "my car guy"...so I watched the eyebrows do their dance since I was digging for whatever anyone would reveal.
She said that "he has been there for a long long time" and that was all she knew...OK anytime someone says " that is all I know" they usually know alot more and just don't think it is relevant...
so I dug and asked her, "Do you know if he can work, is he impaired?" She said she thought he might be on some medication that he does not take regularly. "What makes you think this?" I asked. She said " Well not too long ago he came in with his hands on a make believe machine gun and pretended to shoot everyone in store..we were all real freaked out by that..." I was like " yep, that is a good indication of a mental issue..."
She had worked those eyebrows into a tizzy during that story and now they lay quiet, so I knew that was about all she had for me... I thanked her for the info and turned to leave she said " But he has never hurt anybody...he is real sweet"..I waved , thanked her again and went over to the auto parts store.
I waited in line and asked the clerk about " my car guy" and he had lots to say. I found out that the man has been there for a few years, I already knew that, but I didn't know that he had just gotten out of jail , where he had been for 9 months for a disorderly conduct rap he picked up over at the Albertsons.
I also learned that he has a bicycle and he uses that to get around. So here is what I know...there is this guy, he lives in his car, in a parking lot. He probably can't get a job because he is potentially mentally unstable. He needs so much but I am honestly AFRAID to get too close to him. I want to help, but I do not know what to do. Even the people closest to him apparently do not know what to do. The Dollar Store and Auto Parts place are his neighbors. He is probably banned from the property at the nearest grocery store. My heart is hurting for him. If I could get his car window fixed somehow. Get him some gift cards for the grocery store...SOMETHING...

So that is where I am at...Happy New Year!! If you know of anyway to help my car guy, please lemme know. Love you all Lisa