Because We Need To Talk About It

RevZMan123

OOof. I guess since we're sharing ... May is tough for me ... and now especially since dad passed 5 years ago feb 6th ... mom is gone only 2 years now mar 3rd ... then dad's birthday was may 1st, mom's dad was may 3rd, and mom's was the 5th. So yes, this time of the year has started to suck as they parents passed away. My sister-cousin (mom's brother's daughter who grew up next door) is 10 years older and we've fallen out of touch besides social media platitudes. I sometimes talk with her daughters, but they 3 are in their mid twenties and I'm sure don't give a shit what their old cousin is doing but I do say Happy Birthday.

Hell, even trying to repair watches isn't helping -- after a few bungles, I've not even picked up more than some bracelet changing tools. I'm supposed to see some vintage winders this week so hopefully I'll be able to clean up some pieces I've had languishing like a black dialed GP that needs a spring and a few others.

But it doesn't take much more than a picture or thought of my family to render me useless for a few hours. Thankfully I just got a new tractor with a loader and rear digger so I can toil away in the garden for a few hours at a time.

Not sure where this post is headed other than I appreciate you all and the time we give each other.

Aroxx

ChatGPTBot strikes again...

BlackTalon

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Aroxx

I keep coming back to this post, but not sure what to say. A "like" doesn't seem sufficient. I'm starting to get a bit of perspective about how things can fall apart like this for people. Sucks. Life is hard. It is too bad about Mark but thanks for sharing his story. My condolences Walrus.

Walrus

If you would be so gracious as to allow me to say a few words for a gentleman I have been working with for half a year or so. Ended up homeless and alone after having a family, gainful employment his own home etc. I put a lot of things in front of him hoping something would catch but he just couldn’t get it together. He did suffer from a chronic fatal illness, the type your born with but he had it managed and under control in the present.

I had written a few letters for court for him I decided to follow that a little deeper and found he had 29 “tickets” for panhandling and public nuisance type of stuff. The judge was going to give him 5 days in jail (probably would have been a day). Mark O. The gentleman of whom I speak never let me know how much this was really bothering him. I was able to get to court before him one day talk to the public defender, prosecutor and judge, they just wanted to know if imo he was panhandling to feed an addiction. I was able to say truthfully that was not the case. He really liked to try the local food trucks and was just trying to get enough money (he was a trained chef) to try different foods. They tossed all the cases.saw him later that day towards the end of July and he was smiling from ear to ear thanking me but I told him all I did was speak the truth on his behalf.

Two days later I wrote him a reference for one of the top restaurants in the shitty city I work in. He had a prep cook job lined up. Then on a Friday moments after I left work the hospital called looking for family contacts as Mark O was not going to make it. It wasn’t drugs. Tbh I’m still trying to get to the bottom of everything but it could have been that crazy covid outbreak we had causing complications to his chronic illness.

I hate to tell you how many calls I get like this and so often there are no family to reach out to, that was the case with Mark O. I know religion is not big around here but I was hoping whatever you may choose to believe in you could take a moment and just say a good word for Mark. I can’t imagine the stress these guys feel when they are established and lose everything. But I can say beyond a doubt had Mark been given the time he was going to put it back together and have his own place again.

I’m glad I got to see that happiness and drive return at the end. I’ve been dealing with some post Covid BS out of my 8 infections it has only happened once before but it was a struggle to get to work , the day I went to court for him I almost didn’t come in. I would have been full of regret had that happened.

This is probably getting TLDR but in closing I would often talk to mark about giving up the panhandling and then driving home after work I’d see him out there on the highway exit ramp with his sign and I’d yell “get a job you bum” he would turn red and start laughing. On good days he could make 80 bucks or so. I’d take him to his favorite food truck for lunch sometimes and I’ll be damned he was right, they had some good food. Fair thee well mark. I hope there is good food in the beyond I’m sorry you went through so many difficulties but you hung in and were just called home before you put it back together and we both know you would have.

Thank you for allowing me to do this. Mark will have no obituary or services and if I went overboard no problems if it needs to be deleted I understand

Dsloan

Hey Walrus, I'm not religious, but I still can't help but think that you are doing the Lord's work. I know it may be cliche to say, but any of us have could end up like Mark some day. If I was unfortunate enough to be in a similar spot, I'd be thankful for someone like you to help me try and pick up the pieces.

My condolences. I hope you are getting the support you need in doing your work. Vicarious trauma and the like are no joke when you're constantly helping people in serious situations.