The Church is Trying

Presently I am living in Hollywood.  Although I am not truly homeless, I do not wish to wear out my welcome at the Molenda's.  Sue, Lisa, Melinda and Renee have been very kind to invite me into their home.  My Baptist upbringing still scars my thinking that it is inppropriate for a single man to be living in a household full of single women.  The church would call it the appearance of evil.

Today Baby and I took a walk.  We walked to the West Hollywood Presbyterian church where they were gracious enough to feed me lunch once again.  As we continued our walk, Baby and I shared the Quacker Oats granola bar.  Baby was being a pig instead of a bird and was eating more than I was.  As we walked past a heroin addict who was in bad shape, the only thing of interest to him was the HiC fruit punch.  Baby and I were glad to share.  Later on our walk, we saw Jeffrey.  Jeffrey was very happy that we gave him the Libby's cocktail franks.  I was very thirsty so I tried to share the V-8 juice but Baby hates it.  Baby only eats healthy stuff.  Probably the excess salt.  She even tried to bite me as she thought I was trying to poisen her.

Thought Baby and I might have a career as a street vendor dressed as a pirate with the new Johnny Depp movie coming out.  "Day late, dollar short" they say.  There we were, Schreck, Spiderman, Superman, Michael Jackson, and half a dozen others and the new man on the block, A pirate.  Baby did very well on the crowded sidewalks with all the commotion and vendors including the street being blocked off for the grand opening of The Hangover Part II.

"Bang" goes the backfire of a car.  Baby freaks out and starts flying around in circles.  Baby flew farther than she ever has before.  She flew all the way across the four lane blocked street and landed on some guy's back pack.

"Hey Dude, You with the backpack?"  I yelled in my old cheerleading voice.  "My bird is on your back pack!"

I thought I was in the movies where there is a freeze frame.  Everyone remains still and is quiet.  A sweet security officer unlocks the fence and allows me to walk across the block Hollywood Boulevard.  Thank God.  If the street had not been blocked,I probably would have lost Baby forever.

"Maybe you should get a lease for your bird!" the nice man with a back pack said.

"I think you are right."  I said.  He had already taken his back pack off and Baby was perched on his finger.  I was SO happy Baby had not bitten him.

As we walked back across the street, Baby and I did not say a word.  I think we were JUST both glad to be reunited again.

Baby and I went to mass today.  This is the first time we have gone to a service together.  First, we went to this amazing grotto on the church property.  I had hoped to leave her there but I was unable to ask anyone if that would be alright.  Now that she had flown off, I snuck her into the church instead.  Usually I pray for God's will to be done.  Today I begged God to control his creation and make sure Baby did not make a sqwauk.  God answered my prayer.

After mass, a half of dozen parishioners stopped by and complimented what a good bird Baby was.  One single mother with her child said, "I wish my baby were as well behaved as your bird!"  Baby flapped her wings with JOY.  "If only she knew", I thought.  I was very proud of Baby at her first service.  I slid past the priest hoping to avoid any bad situation.  This was not planning to be a habit of mine.

Baby and I went to the post office to mail some post cards.

We went through MY GARDEN!

We saw a Purple tree and these beautiful flowers on another tree.

After dropping Baby off, I returned to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament on Sunset Boulevard.  The give FREE food out from 4 pm to 6 pm today.  I got there at 3:30 pm.  I was number 251 in line.  The church was kind enough to give me a box full of food and fresh vegetables.

The rest of my day will consist of going to the library to look for jobs online.  Not a single Help Wanted sign has been posted on Hollywood, Sunset and Santa Monica.  Later in the evening, I will go work out at Bally's.

Total expenses for the day.  50 cents for post cards.  58 cents for stamps.

Experience: PRICELESS

Lesson Learned: The Church is Trying

Sue has a million and one reasons for not doing The Belle of Amherst.  I will never ask her again.  The direction that I am going in is to make a documentary about the homeless situation.  Most people do not care about the homeless.  Everyone pushes the responsibility on someone else.  I believe that the solution is the church.  YOU and I are THAT church!