Tonight, Under the Bridge

Several fights broke out tonight. Drugs and alcohol don’t help when it comes to controlling your emotions. Although the fighting certainly was discouraging, what was more impressive was the reaction from the other homeless. Three homeless people came under the bridge not to get a meal, but to watch out for the us. They helped break up the fights and calm everyone down. I guess they knew something was up.

One homeless woman appealed to the fighters to stop because there were children present. I liked her sensibility, but even innocence does not easily break through alcohol.

Several of the homeless (not the ones that were fighting) made a point to come up to us and apologize. They have to live with this type of violence every day, yet they apologized to us. Amazing.

I met an interesting man tonight. He had a painting strapped to his backpack and a painter’s easel strapped to his belt. He was from California and came to Little Rock by train via Washington DC. He was headed to Texas. I asked him how he knows where the train goes. He said he looks on Google maps. He found out that trains run in three directions from Little Rock: one to Missouri, one to Pine Bluff, and one to Texas. This past week he has been to Missouri and back and to Pine Bluff and back. By process of elimination, he found the line he needs to Texas. He was a young, clear-eyed, articulate man. He had seven cans of tuna that he was living on that ran out on his train ride from Pine Bluff to LR. He was hungry and happened upon the meal we were serving. He made a point to express his gratitude and visit with us in a friendly way.

The contrasts were striking tonight. Even in the darkness, lights do shine.

So, so you think you can tell/heaven from hell/blues skies from pain/can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail/a smile from a veil…