Tears of a clown or donations of a Nun

I walked out of the movie theater only a few days

before I had to evacuate for the fear of Milton's threat.

Stay and brave another one?

After Debbie tore away our roof and had me trembling?

After Helene showed images of people drowning in mudslides?

No, but where was I to go?

Up 75 to the already devastated towns of St Mary or Perry?

Up 95 towards another town like Valdosta being threatened as well?

I put my tent up at the border between Georgia and South Carolina.

When I returned the day after as Milton was dying in the Atlantic,

the beaches that were already sand blasted and flood beaten

were worse, not better,

and if any of those residents had thought to pitch in and help ---

they were gone.

While I kept my head high during the tongue lashings such as

"Coward" and "Deserter" -- I gazed into the windows of souls

to see what their intentions were regarding the state, the nation,

and the state of the nation.

I reported every piece of honest evidence I had gathered

on my three day evacuation "vacation".

I reported the damages with words and images.

I reported the assistance I had witnessed as well.

I made suggestions and continued to share

my passion and limited resources,

not just because I'm a patriot ---

but because I'm a human being with love for life.

What did I see?

I saw people continue to be cruel and mock good people or hurt people.

I saw people spending money at the mall and at Hooters

while at the same time there were people asking me for

monetary donations.

These contradictory bits of information entering my mind's eyes

are like the bad taste left in the mouth of a drunk after vomit.

Yet I carried on with an armor of hope and scripture.

Though the labor office has no calls for people like me to go to work on

picking up fallen branches or scooping sand at the beach,

I put peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and water bottles in plastic bags

and left them at the bus stops.

Someone at a bus stop who might be saving your life

will be Thanking God that there was a water bottle there,

and that the city extended the free bus rides at this time.

Another someone who finds one of my donation bags

just might be the person who actually hires me and helps me

get the money I need to fix my car.

Never give up.

Never surrender.