Friday, April 27, 2012

Here We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder!

Last weekend was fun- Bicycle Day at Loaves and Fishes Saturday morning, extra volunteer work at L&F on Sunday, and then an Eve 6 concert on Sunday night!

This week has been pretty usual at the park. . . seizures, fights, joy, laughter, heartbreak, pain.

As a staff member of Friendship Park, we are not supposed to have favorites.  We are to treat as guest with the same kindness, trust, and respect that we treat everybody with.

Though we all try to hold this ethic, every green hat has their favorite. . . I'm not prepared to say David is my favorite, but I do give him a little extra attention. 

David is very mentally ill, and just lost his dad recently. 

Monday, he was barefoot when I first saw him.  I got him a pair of shoes with lime green laces.  He loved them.  He was seen later that day barefoot again.

Tuesday, he had shaved and was wearing the shoes again.  He mentioned Bicycle Day and wanted a bike.  (We had a few left over, but I didn't tell him this.)

Wednesday, I saw him smoking a cigarette.  Instead of rolling papers, he used pages of the Bible.  Jim said it was a burnt offering.

Thursday, after a bit of nagging on my end, we got him a leftover bike!  When I rolled it out to him he said, "Holy s***! Holy s***! I won't sell this for dope! Holy s***! I'm keeping it forever!"
He then proceeded to work on it for the rest of the day.

Friday (today), I saw him.  I did not see the bike.

Wherever that bike is, it is going to make someone happy- hopefully it is David.
Maybe David has the bike somewhere, maybe he doesn't.  He deserves a break from his pain (like all of our guests), and at least I got to see the joy in him for a few brief hours.


*******

Now I'm off to YOSEMITE with my casa-mates!!  This my first time camping and hiking!  Though I'm scared of being eaten by bears and mountain lions, slipping and dying on the Mist Trail, and other camping related injuries, I'm trying it! And I'm going to have a great time!!

2 comments:

  1. Nicole, have fun camping, I sure hope you don't see any lions and bears oh my. Aunt J

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  2. It was great! And only a bear cub was seen from a distance- while we were safely in our car!

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