Special Needs, Homeless or Pan Handling Superstars

Of course, there may be a deeper story. I write knowing that I am always on the edge of being homeless even though I have it good! Too many people I grew up with are on the edge too. I lived out of my van almost twenty years. Being a starving entertainer made me appreciate living on the edge. I had moments of greatness and failure as any of us have had. One bad drunk and a smack on the head and me or anyone else could be lost in a blackout pushing a cart around any town. There is a big difference from those that need it and those that don’t. It is just too hard to judge. One trip to New York and I saw a guy go into what looked like an epileptic seizure. I ran over to help and my local friends said NO! He was scamming tourists.

Back in Winston-Salem, NC it is not much different. But the camps are getting bigger. Unless they were connected to the elderly couple living in their car at Sheetz for the day then I’ll probably get my God smacks or a visit from the Karma Queen for thinking this. Pan handling is lucrative and there are turf wars in Winston. The homeless are getting aggressive and mean. I witnessed this guy slap a car and run screaming after the couple that must have said something smart when they went by. He was screaming BITCH, WHORE…the usual and standing in traffic shouting COME BACK HERE BITCH Come On! He looked like he was more on steroids than meth. He glared into the car windows using his female partner and his obviously pregnant dog as distraction. I thought they had the dog on a short leash for the median. But she was so well behaved she didn’t move off the block with hundreds of cars passing. But this good-looking couple were doing sprints on a very familiar cross way at the Lexington Winston-Salem border line. I mean running to the vehicles like athletes. I figured it was “Drug Money Day” as they don’t have to walk too far to the drug store! But my rage at this perfectly healthy couple was shattered when I saw a guy with two wooden legs and palsy hobble from a car facing the couple into Sheetz. But I couldn’t bring myself to aim my camera at him. If they become regulars I will know. I was trying to justify in my mind why a couple in this great of shape were panhandling. A closer look on the female I can see she has bit her nails to the bone. Just maybe the athletic couple and their dog were helping the old man.

There are two very attractive twenty something girls working the grocery store and Academy street near Old Salem. I just haven’t had the right opportunity to do the right story. For there are some truly helpless people out there. This girl has worked this corner for a couple of years with a sign that says recently burned out of house. I’ve seen her work the corner and run into the hotel on the corner. The town has since flattened the hotel.

I’ve seen towns where the homeless grab your wipers and wash your windows whether you want them to or not. I didn’t see any pandering tags. All I could make out on the good-looking woman was a fit bit and a watch. This male is going to peer into the family of some town officials before long, then they just won’t pass them by anymore. I saw a deputy from Davidson blow by without even blinking not long after the shouting incident and blocking of traffic.

Jump in if you can help me tell the pan handlers where to go for help. But chances are slim they will ask for any because the money is too good at rush hour!

20180614

It seems to me that every town has a special set of people that are walkers. I grew up in a town that had a guy that rode his bicycle all over the county. We had a guy that walked the streets downtown with a hand held radio to his ear and would dance at every red light. I had a girlfriend that was a case worker that took care of as many of the towns special adults that she could. And then there are people like Whoopie that never asked for a penny. Rumors are Whoopie may have lost her care taker. Our paths crossed frequently.

Whoopie’s Bike.

This is Whoopie’s Bike. I have seen her with three different bikes. Or she modifies her bikes. On close inspection you can see the chain is off track. She is usually seen pushing her bike.

People from Winston-Salem aren’t sure if she is homeless or if she just likes to walk her bike all over a large town. I am on the same path as her. Tonight 20201130 I saw her sleeping in a booth at a local restaurant. I couldn’t bring myself to aim my camera at her. But her bike rocks. I don’t know what the special tape means. The monkey seems to be her current friend ! She used to have a special doll that road on the front handle bars that was dressed just like her.

Fast Forward to 2025. Some asshole has put her in critical condition after he beat her half to death late night in one of her hospital hang outs.