Today was such an awesome day!
I woke up to a handsome white man whispering, “Tee, you’re working with me today. You need a bucket.”
I half smiled and opened my eyelids. It was Dante, the shelter’s resident pothead who looks like a California surfer. He’s such a lover boy. Every time he speaks, he speaks with gentleness. He’s in love with Jenn of course. Everyone is. She’s such a darling I’d probably fall in love with her too if she wasn’t already stalked by so many different men.
“What time is it?” I asked him.
“It’s 5:40.”
I stretched and threw off my sheet, rising from the bench where I sleep on the patio with all the men who don’t follow the rules or don’t raise enough money selling newspapers. I don’t think sleeping out here is a punishment. It feels like I’m camping.
My mind immediately went to this website and the content that would be coming out today. “Damn, I forgot to post Erika’s latest column.”
I opened my laptop and snatched Erika’s column from my documents, pasting it into the website content feed. Then I checked my email and a new email had come in. My eyes grew wide.
“What time can YOU make it in this morning. Anytime before 9:15.”
It was the producer of one of our local radio stations. I heard back from him yesterday about interviewing me about my project but he hadn’t confirmed it so I didn’t think I was going.
I shook the cobwebs from my brain and began to think. Damn. I’m supposed to go vending the newspaper today but the interview is also this morning. What can I do? The spot where I’m assigned is way up in Tamarac while the radio station is right down the street.
“Goodmorning,” I hear a voice to my right say.
It’s Pedro, the cutie I’ve been flirting with. He’s young and full of energy which makes him the perfect candidate to be given the business but then again, I am kind of wanting something MORE these days. I kinda want to actually be in “like” with someone so I don’t flirt too much with him. I don’t want to get anything started for real.
“Help me think,” I say to him.
“What’s up?”
I recount my dilemma and he says, “Go upstairs and ask for a bus pass and then take the bus after the interview.”
Ohh. Duh!
See! My mind is filled with so much stuff to organize that I really need help THINKING sometimes.
I make the arrangements and within 45 minutes I’m walking out of the shelter to the bus stop. When I arrive at the radio station I’m a little sweaty from walking but I’m okay.
I’m standing in the lobby that is familiar to me. Two years ago my sons gave me an idea to call the radio stations in Miami and try to get hired as a personality. I didn’t think it would hurt so I did. I actually got an interview with one of them but the man never contacted me again.
When the elevator door opens, guess who is there to escort me upstairs? The man who never called me back.
“You look familiar,” I tell him.
“Oh really,” he says. “Where do you think you know me from?”
“You’re the man I came to see about 2 years ago to ask you if your station could use my gifts and talents.”
“Hmmm,” he said.
“Yes,” I said and smiled.
Guess what? I’m here anyway and now I’m a GUEST on your competitors station!
Anyway…
So apparently Rickey Smiley has bought everyone breakfast this morning and they invite me to a huge beautiful buffet of FOOD.
If you’ve watched last night’s video then you know I’ve gained weight since I’ve been homeless due to all the food I get to eat at the shelter.
But anyway, I ate that damn food and it was GREAT!
After I ate I was escorted to the studio and when i went to grab my camera I realized that I left the memory card at the shelter. Damn!
This would have been an awesome part of the documentary- my first radio interview!
Anyway, I chat easily with the radio host and we get the interview done quickly. He makes me laugh so much that I am still laughing as I take the bus to the street corner where I will be selling the homeless voice paper.
When I get to the spot, the other dudes are there selling the paper and I’m about 3 hours late.
“That’s your corner,” my captain says. “It’s the ladies corner.”
I peer at the street and raise my eyebrow.
An hour later I can see why he said that. For some reason, nearly EVERY car that passes by is filled with MEN.
In my super short jean shorts and toned legs, I am catching lots of attention from them and they are dropping their dollar bills in my bucket easily.
I take a couple of breaks just to ease my aching legs and when I get back on the road I continue having fun with the people in the cars. I’m teasing them, flirting with the old grand daddies and blowing kisses at the kids.
A man pulls up, looks me up and down and takes out his phone, “I have to have your phone number,” he sayes
“Donation!” I say.
“Oh,” he says and drops a dollar in my bucket. “May I have your phone number?”
“No. But you can have the paper. The shelter’s number is on the paper, you can call there.”
He looks at me with an annoyed expression. I smirk and then walk away.
An hour later I’m ready to take another break and as I pack up my bags and my water cooler, a man approaches me on foot. He’s staring me right in the face.
“Do I know you?” I ask him.
“You have a bad memory,” he says. “We just met.”
“In traffic?” I ask him.
He nods.
Ohhh! He’s the guy who asked for my phone number.
“Can you take a break now for lunch?” he asks.
“I was just about to,” I tell him.
“Good,” he says and shows me a plastic bag. “I brought lunch for you. I live down the street and I went home and packed you a lunch.”
Wow.
“Let’s go sit inside of Wendy’s and talk,” he says.
“Fine with me,” I say.
We walk and sit down in Wendy’s and the air is stifling in there. While I charge my phone he’s telling me about himself, that he’s single and a nice guy and blah blah blah. He made me a nice turkey sandwhich and an apple and a MANGO and some lemonade. He’s so sweet!
We actually have a good conversation and by the end we’re laughing like we’ve known each other for a while. He says he has a connection for a business for my job fair.
“You could have a better job by tomorrow if you’d like,” he tells me.
“I’m not working in an OFFICE,” I tell him. “I have other things to do.”
“Ok, OK,” he says.
He walks me back to my corner and we part ways. I did take his number and I WILL call him to get the contact for the jobs for women. I hope he was being sincere and not just trying to pick me up.
I didn’t make as much money as I usually do but today was fun because the guys I worked the corner with were super cool. I’m going out with them again tomorrow.
Anyway, I feel good. I’m so tired. It feels good writing like this again.
I have more to say but it’ll have to wait. Be sure to visit my youtube channel for any videos you may have missed.
~hugs~
Tee
A beautiful day, indeed! 🙂 So happy for you!