Lost On 24th And Castro

by Joe B.

It was Saturday, June, 22, 2002. I’m suppose to be at Coalition On Homelessness on 468 Turk Street by 10 or 10:30am, the laundry and shower took longer than anticipated.

I arrive 10:45am with a camera missing whatever meeting for brainstorming and a ride to 24th and Church Street to hand out flyers about Supervisor Gavin Newsome.

Newsome’s plan taking 85% of General Assistance monies from houseless and working poor leaving $59 with no guarantee that the monies taken will go to non profits and services for houseless or working poor people.

Noe Valley [pronounced No-E]

Two of Poor’s Interns are there then I realized I didn’t have the anti-home displacement sign.

It’s decided I’ll meet the two folks at 24th and Church near or on Poe which was fine except I don’t use Muni much it seemed another way to get lost yet again.

After rushing home, get the sign, ride muni to Castro street and exit to catch a 24 or 48 bus.

Luckily a nice lady took pity on me and tells me when to leave the transit system.

A 24 Noe bus is here like clockwork and I’m on it.

Its a down cast gray cloudless sky matched gray of federal and government buildings and I do not really want to do this today.

If the sun does break out because of the weather ealier a lot of people will not want to come out ‘kinda just stay in and enjoy the air conditioning, look at tv, dvd’s, listen to cd’s, radio, or under cover with loved ones or alone and stuff like that.

Small dribbles of drizzles are falling so on goes my hooded sweat shirt.

I look, walk, while breathing in the vibrancy of Castro and Noe Valley area; even though the sky is gray the mood, people, stores, cafe’s made the those clouds seem to have a backlight glow.

I went into a Starbucks, bought a White Chocolate with cream and in the mix of feeling lost, assignment not begun and not a picture taken it felt good to just sit, have a warm sweet drink in this little area I’ve rarely visit but will make a special effort for longs ones next time.

This Newsome Plan is an updated to cut general assistance cash payments to $59 dollars or less its call a “Care Not Cash Plan”
which is really
“Creating Crisis Program” for working poor and houseless.

No safety net nothing but hard, broken glass and rusty steel to fall on make becoming homeless easier to fall into and harder to get out of.

It is not known where the houseless, working poor’s money will be slotted for non profits helping those suffering or services that were created specifically for that need but it is known where these monies are taken from:

The very persons who are in the most dire need of it.

So, Newsome is at it again with his how many point plan which seems not to help but further burden those with less placing them in jail.

This Kennedyesqe helmet haired, youthfull exterior hides a shadowy interior.

I don’t want to give this guy any publicity good or bad it should be a balanced portrait.

That what Kapond would advise in his investigative reporter’s wisdom.

Kaponda would say “Don’t judge the man, find out about him from policies of his past, talk to frienes and acquaintances of his before judgement.

I’d like to do that only in the past we know what happens when a powerfull charismatic speaker or group comes together.

Before we know it laws are passed some marking others for slow or lingering death I’d rather be wrong now than than right later for not saying what I think; here is my personal opinion.

I could be wrong but I think Mr. G. Newsome is using distress over the homeless, working poor, to be the next Mayor.

Kapond would say “Gather the evidence, make sure of your facts, look through the transcripts of his political history, how he voted on which issues, then he can be judged fairly.”

That makes logical sense to me but all the time I’m seeing this guy and its always something negative.

I don’t want to jump the gun but I this guy seems too perfect for his own good and up to no good, he has a one dimentional mindset where homeless people are concerned.
If I’m wrong pull my coat if I’m right say “Joe you hit the nail on the head.” Right now the shit is hitting the fan in slow motion and I don’t want to be manure splattered. If this guy Newsome is gonna do what I think he’ll do... he should be out of office, not be Mayor, cool his heels, and not have any chance of even being head dog catcher because he might not like certain kinds of dogs.

Dark Mark, Darth Vader, without a mask, or whatever Dark Star he’s from he should not be rewarded for riding on the backs of houseless and working poor.

Good guy or bad you readers have all kinds of proof watching him.

I’m apolitical myself but email me stuff or tell me things.

Gotta go, hope things work out for us. Bye.

PS sorry, no literary work for now.

HouseCare-Pro Price range:
$25 per day or 100 a week for
1 bdrm. Apt, small House.
4 to 3 bedrooms, $50 to $100 a week,
$5,000 a week for 20 to 40 rm. Homes.
$25,000 by the week or $100,000 for
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Prices are negotiable.
Non drinker, smoker, drugs (unless its aspirin & vitamins)
Not a party animal, Boredom, works me.

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645
Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102
Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org