6:08 AM… Somewhere on the Railroad Earth
Dandelions and Daffodils
Some flowers are hardy, able to withstand the trampling that life walks out. Other flowers are constructed of a softer, yet more colorful hue.
Major breakthrough yesterday. For several months I’ve been attempting to contact Teddy’s brother. Teddy is one of the homeless men that I’ve grown rather fond of over the last year. He’s one of two people that I’ve put some effort into getting off the street.
I was finally able to meet him in person. He’s quite worn out trying to help Teddy, as he’s worked to get him an ID for the past two years – to no avail. We shook hands and I gave him several photos that I’ve taken of his brother over the past year. He looked up slowly with a wet glaze in his eyes as he said, “I’m so tired.” I replied, “I know, let’s work together and see if we can follow through with getting the services Teddy is entitled to.
“I had a scholarship for fine art. I made a painting, oil on canvas, of a little boy. He was sitting in a chair with a big ball in his hands. I painted a puppy under his chair. The teacher thought it was so good that she sent it to the Art Institute. I never saw it again, nor any royalties.” -Teddy, a crushed Daffodil…
I applaud your efforts. I am painfully aware of the
thankless efforts of trying to assist someone in getting off the streets, especially when they are less than an willing participant.
I can most certainly relate to how Teddy’s brother feels. Tired is an understatement.
I tried for 8 years to “revive” just such a crushed daffodil. I excerted so much effort that I all but disregarded my own life. This was dangerous.
My concern at that point was for that of the three children who were unwitting victims in the wake of her distruction. I spent countless time, money and effort to assist her, like Teddy’s brother, to no avail.
I rescued the children from a homeless (family) shelter where they lived and she abandoned them (illegally with the assistance of the shelter) in order to keep them out of the “system”. I took them in, got them in school (illegally) and even managed to get them a police escort to and from daily, in order to keep her from getting them. This was a major undertaking and required a commitment that I was not fully cognizant of at the onset.
Two of the three children are adults. One is a junior in college on a basketball scholarship and consistently on the Deans list. The other adult has opted for procreation with no active father for her child and no visible means of support other than welfare. The minor boy is being bounced between his mother and father contingent on their living arrangements, is troublesome and without much promise.
At the end of the day was it worth it? Would I repeat my actions in another scenario? Who is worth it and who isn’t? Where do we draw the line?