Early, early Tuesday morning loading the last of my belongings into my car to head north to the Sacramento area and hopefully find employment and a new life for Ellie and myself. Twice yesterday I had stood outside my car with Ellie sitting quietly soliciting for gas money for the trip north. The first in the morning rush hour with my cardboard made sign which read, “NEED GAS 4 TRIP TO N.CALIFORNIA”, and the second during rush hour traffic home (about 3-hrs each). I made close to $100 from the good Samaritans of San Diego. Enough for 2-gas tank fills plus and enough for 2-thirds of the trip. I would have to stop and solicit one more time to get the rest of the way comfortably. HOMELESS and UNEMPLOYED, again.
We were on the road about 5am after a fill-up of my tank. I805 north towards L.A. bound with hopes of missing the notorious rush hour I’ve heard and seen on t.v.. Well, I got my rush hour experience and don’t ever expect to experience it again. I got my second tank of gas around Bakersfield and began thinking where I might stop to solicit for my last tank of gas for the trip. I thought Fresno might be the best but as I got closer I kept thinking of how much I really didn’t look forward to doing it again so I kept driving while keeping a close eye on my gas gauge. I drove by each town debating on whether to stop there or go on. When I got close to Modesto (about 50-miles south of Sac) I was dangerously close to empty so I took the last exit and put my last $10 in the tank. I asked the clerk for directions to the nearest Walmart since this was a good place to get a good flow of people but saw a Costco on my way and decided to go there (especially since I’m still a member). I no sooner set up my location than I noticed the gas attendant looking at me while on the phone to someone. Of course I knew he was calling someone inside about me so I continued my sign showing when an elderly couple pulled up and generously gave me $30. Then 2-employees showed up and asked me nicely to leave because of policy. They both sympathized with my situation but made me aware that it was against California Law to solicit like that even though the others are out there too, but to be cautious if I did it again. Blessings and hats-off to those two elderly and understanding young men. The $30 was enough to get me to my destination with a little left. MEANT TO BE? It’s sometimes amazing.
I arrived in Dunningan around 4pm and met my friend at “Bill and Kathys” small truck stop and hangout for a number of the local people that I had met the last time I was here. It was a good and familiar reunion with a few brews of reminiscence and current life updates. I got over to my friends place at dark so I didn’t get the full impact of how isolated he was in this many acre almond orchard until the next day with daylight. I couldn’t believe the remoteness and peacefulness of this paradise between the Coastal and Sierra Nevada Mountains. Most relaxing considering my circumstances.
God bless and God speed
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