Yada yada yada

I heard it rains harder in San Bernardino than in any other part of Southern California. Found that to be true yesterday. My shoes and socks were soaked.

The soup kitchen there is filled with homeless families, families with homes and little money, loners, alot of women beaten by their spouses and some elderly too.

Seeing the children there is toughest. Especially those who are new to the shelter. They all look so hopeless.

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I got drenched on my way from the bus stop to shelter in Colton today too. It rained like a muthafucka.

The Colton shelter makes for Mexican food. I'll help make tamales on Wednesday for Christmas Eve and Day. I might also help make tamales for New Years Day. It's traditional I guess. I don't mind. I love making tamales.

A few days ago we were passing out flyers in the areas of Colton where the homeless gather. I gave one to some white guys in their late 20s. One had a southern accent, the other said he grew up local. They both were working at the same place and sharing an apartment when they were layed-off. They stayed in the apartment as long as they could, but neither could find steady work, although both had jobs for a few days here and there.

They reminded me of Nick and myself. Nick was a buddy I grew up with in Yotba Linda. In our twenties we were living in my Honda Civic wagon, dealing and using cocaine. We'd score some cash and a big bag of blow and live it up in a hotel for a few days, then we'd be back in the car for a few weeks. We actually were having a blast most of the time. Really fun times, till we got sick of it.

We ended up driving away from Anaheim and looking for jobs in Placentia. We were both hired by Target. We'd bathe in an apartment complex swimming pool every night, and shave in the gas station bathroom.

One day I had to work later than Nick. He drove up as I was getting out the door of Target and said, "Let's go home".

"Oh no, I'm not going back to Anaheim and all that shit again."

He pulled up to an apartment complex (down the street from out bath) and pointed to an upstairs patio window.

"There's our place. $700 a month."

It was great. Two bedrooms, one bath, a kitchen with a fridge... We were happy SOBs.

Guess I just miss those days.

Anyway, the guys in their @0s showed up at the shelter tonight and really brought the place some life. They were mingling as though it was a real party.

I cooked the main course tonight. Nine baked, stuffed chickens.

People were laughing and eating up. They were diving into the chicken and paying compliments to the chef.

So today was a great day to write about. Too late to even attempt to correct all the spelling errors.

I may never... will never have all the best, or even a little bit of the best, but I'll make the best with what I've got and have a decent day once every few months.