Vendor Writing

Cops like to Harass the homeless

BY JULIE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Me and a friend were sitting outside a restaurant downtown today and one of the cops around here got attitude with me and told me we couldn’t sit there. What are we doing by sitting there? I asked him where he wanted us to sit at if not there? This is how the cops treat us. Like criminals for sitting down. They harass us from daylight to dark. The next time they come up to me, I’m going to start filming what they say and how they say it to us so Nashville can see how the homeless are really treated.

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Remembering Vanessa

BY JIM B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

It’s been several years since Vanessa passed and it’s been a struggle day by day. Jelly Roll just put out a song called, “I’m not OK” that fits the feeling perfectly. It hits so close to home for anyone who has lost someone they were close to. I want to keep Vanessa’s memory alive and I know a lot of vendors knew her and loved her so I want to make sure they remember her.

I don’t know what some people do in this situation. It’s been a struggle day by day for me. I look at her Facebook page every once in a while. We had a cat named Camelot that her aunt now takes care of. I still keep in contact with her family and that also helps keep her memory alive.

I just don’t know how my grandfather lasted as long as he did. He waited 4 years after my grandmother passed and they were married over 30 years. I know he took it hard.

Vanessa loved life so much. She would give someone the shirt off her back. I saw her do it. She never met a stranger, she really didn’t. If she liked you she liked you and if she didn’t she didn’t. There was no in between with her. If she liked you she’d do anything to help you. And if she didn’t, she’d avoid you like the plague. She was very active in our church. We were always helping with Room in the Inn in the winter. I don’t know how else to explain it, but she just loved people. And not just people, but she loved animals. When we were selling hot dogs downtown and she’d see a dog go by, she’d want to go pet them. She tried helping everyone she could.

We met in 2012. Her husband Randy passed away in 2016 and for a while there she was lost. We ran back into each other in 2017 and were together in June and she passed away December 7, 2017. If you’re going through grief, I suggest you find a support group. Be it a church or a trusted friend. Find someone you can go to at all hours. No one is ever alone when it comes to grief. I thought for a while there I was alone, and then my church stepped in and told me they didn’t care if something was going on, to call them if I needed something. It’s rough, but I’m getting through it day by day. You have your good days and your bad, but even then, your good days are never that good. You’ve got to get support. That’s the only way you’ll get through this is support. Sometimes grief counseling helps, sometimes it doesn’t. The first two weeks after she died I stayed drunk, but after that I said, “Nope, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t turn into an alcoholic.” So I picked myself back up and went to work.

I just want people who knew her to keep her memory alive. Even if that’s talking with others who knew her, or taking a day to just go hey this day’s for her. That might mean doing something for others or listening to someone talk or helping someone with food.

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Seasons of Homelessness

WRITTEN BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

The needs of the homeless are the same as everyone else

Food, clothing, and shelter cover the basics

Other needs arise with the changing of the seasons

In the winter months exposed to the elements, they need a way to keep warm

Extra layers of clothes, blankets, and hand warmers can help in this regard

But where do you store such things when they’re NOT being used?

And why is it so hard?

Because no one wants an encampment in their back yard

The Spring is the rainy season here,

So ponchos and umbrellas are very much appreciated

Anything to help keep dry is a welcome sight

For ANYONE who spends much of their time outside

The Fall is usually a pleasant time of year in Tennessee

It’s not too hot and not too cold

Often the temperature is just right!

It’s a perfect time for camping,

There is one problem though,

It is illegal here in Tennessee to camp on public property

In fact, it’s not just a crime, it’s a felony!

So where are all the homeless to go?

No one seems to know

Nor do they have an answer to this problem that is SO prevalent in our area and continues to grow

Yet there seems to be plenty of money for other things

Sports teams and stadiums designed to lure people here to spend their money

And boost the local economy

But what happens to those who actually live here who DON’T share in all this prosperity?

It seems that the priorities are mixed up a bit.

I wonder if that would be the case if someone with the money and power to make a change knew and loved a person affected by homelessness?

It’s a question worth consideration don’t you think?

Either way, It’s a hot button issue to be sure, which is fitting as we will discuss next,

the needs of the homeless during the hottest time of the year-Summer.

Air you can wear is quite common around here

For that reason ANYTHING to help keep cool is greatly prized

Those battery powered fans that spray a fine mist and cooling towels are ALWAYS welcome

We recognize the relief such simple things can provide

But honestly, hydration is key to survival on these hot days and nights!

As for food, lighter fare is a refreshing treat

Crackers and sandwiches, even a salad or a piece of fruit are often preferred to hot or heavy meals that can be difficult eat in the scorching heat

Please keep these things in mind as you strive to help those you meet on the street and others in need.

As stated in the outset, these things are the BASIC needs of not only the homeless, but EVERY living thing.

In order for you to do the most good for the individuals you meet, no matter the season

it will require that you take time to get to know them,

To be discerning as to their needs.

If you make the time, I’m sure you will find you have more in common that what divides,

That their needs are not that different from your own

And you will DEFINITELY lead a more fulfilling life, as you strive to help others through their difficult times