A Potter's tale

The evening was young yet Emily had woken up t a busy day. If you were to see her you might mistake her for an angel or mirage, but she is not but a ghost. While most think of a ghostly activities as haunting a houses, pulling practical pranks and so forth; it couldn't be farther from the truth. Ghosts like many of us humans work, go to school and create families. Emily is young, easy on the eye and as smart as she is mischievous. She had done softball practice and a full day of school.

Now on her way home she noticed a rising breeze coming from the east. A cool chill was setting in and it looked like the moon would be full. She hurried not wanting to miss dinner. Tonight she felt would be a great night and she missed her family. She was not sure why she felt joy inside but she knew it wouldn't be long before she remembered. Up the path she could see the dark mid evil house she called home peacefully laying on the hill where the path ends. She started a jog in excitement.
The door creaked as it opened she called out hello to her grandmother. Her parents had moved on and her grandmother was all she had. Close they were and a matching pair of kindred personalities. No one replied back. Emily placed her stuff in the closet and called out again. Still no reply. This peaked her interest. She began searching room by room not sure where her grandmother was and not sure whether she was entering a game of hide and seek unwillingly. As Emily traveled threw the rooms she flickered on the lights and called out. One by one she knocked out every room in the big three story house. Nobody was home. No notes were found. Was everything OK? Did her grandmother go out in a hurry and forget to leave a note? Out the house Emily went.

It was now cold and chilly.
The streets were extra crowded for some geeks and goblins were cheery; not to mention in a hurry. It was quickly becoming a blur. Emily turned a corner. It was now empty. Near by was a racoon looking around closely. She walked up to the racoon. "Sir" she asked," i see you are on hunt as i perhaps we can help each other?" The racoon looked up in a/surprised shock. Emily could see him hiding something behind him but couldn't make it out. His face changed a sly grin behind a furry mask. " oh yes " he replied now continuing," help me find a winter home for my bags and i will help you find what you need." Emily want so sure about this masked stranger but she could use an extra hand. She continued on not wanting to slow down. Round another corner and through the river. It seemed the world was having less and less beings. She felt alone it was getting late. She would continue on.

More buildings came in to view. Still no people. Where did everyone rush off to? She thought to herself. At that moment a pair of ravens sirened in . "Hello", they said, "Can we help you?" Emily had heard of these legendary bird but never met them. A omen but she couldn't remember if it was good or bad. She told them her circumstance. They seemed more interested in the raccoon then her grandmother but had offered to help. Away they flouted back the way she had came.
Soon they were back at the racoon who seemed to be finding some places for hiding his bags. The ravens flew quickly catching the racoon in mid carry. One raven had scratched a hole in one of the bags. Coins had slammed to the floor and away they flew with him not saying goodbye. Alone again. She decided maybe it would be better to get home. She started back , slowly now tired.
She was getting close. She could see the house. She felt a breeze swoop on her. It was the ravens. The rambled on about the racoon being a known thief and how they were heading ahead to a house with suspicious activity and offered her to fly with them. She could use the rest and agreed.
She walked the steps and opened the door. The house was dark; she entered. Emily and the ravens looked for the light switch. Emily found it: lights went on. "Hello grandma?", she said. No answer. She entered the next room. A shout let out and more lights went on. The ravens and swooped down and tossed Emily in the air. "Surprise" and "happy birthday" they were singing. Her grandmother caught her and buried her in hugs and kisses. Emily was home. The town had given her a surprise party on the birthday Emily had for gotten. Candy was now being showered down.
                                                              THE END

Public Bullying Call Shanty Bar 4th Ave

tpd corpral clark criminalizing addiction for for profit prisons

homeless laundry mat

Roofless, a person without a roof or having a temporary one. We know that this effects 12 million plus Americans, more throughout the world. We do not have any real count of how many we have in Tucson. My goal is not to shift responsibility to anyone because that devised and as a community we must come together to get solutions made. The root of the issue is personal crisis. We know the issues are places to sleep, a lack of resources, hygiene, safety and more.

In looking at this Ken Lee in 2014 did a survey of more than 99 urban nomads in the Heart of the city. The people answered their top needs as a campground, a place to shower storage and more. The community answer is housing first. What about the hygiene issue?

According to Michael Kieth's information, Tucson gives more money dollar for dollar than any other city its size. Bravo to Tucson for standing up ,especially with having one of the top 6  poverty rates in Tucson.

The average roofless person in Tucson wears the same pair of clothes for 4-7 days. Some like my friend James can go 30 before getting a new pair. After wearing them they will dispose of them at a non profit that provides showers or at a shelter, others will find a bird bath somewhere and discard them.. Park and rec workers like many others find them in parks, alleys , sidewalks and else where. Why though would they be disposed?

No laundry mat is available to the majority of the homeless. If you are disabled you can do it through HOPE, INC. If you are a vet you can do it at the VA, a limited amount can do it at the Poblobero House, woman can do it at Sister Jose. People actually able to get into a shelter program can do it there. The majority that are left camping, on a friends couch or rotating through shelters have none. When you have 85% of donated clothes going to waste, it becomes priority to create a laundry mat, that keeps them being used. If we wish to tell the homeless to get a job, we may need to help those with no resources to look professional . Not Financially saving 85% of donated clothes is not good for accountability, saves resources and provides a foundation for Maslows Hierarchy of needs.