The Homeless People Of Fort Worth Vex & Sadden Me

I have seen homeless people, while pedaling the Trinity Trail that takes you from Gateway Park to downtown Fort Worth and beyond, many times.

There was one summer where one homeless person had pretty much taken up residence under the Riverside Drive bridge across the Trinity. I believe Riverside Drive connects to Lancaster Avenue, close to the inadequate facility which tries to helps people with no where else to go. I think you have to leave during the day, and then can come back at night.

But, I don't know for sure. There is not a lot of publicity about how to help the homeless.

So, last night I pedaled into the sunset on the Trinity Trail that I've pedaled many a time, seeing many a homeless person.

But.

Last night's incidents bothered me. The first was a fairly old couple. They were seriously sunburned. Their clothes were a bit ragged. They had a look of fear about them. It startled me. They were very close to the church that sits on the west side of Beach Street, next to the I-30 freeway. There were a lot of people at the church.

A few miles later I came upon a guy looking to be in his late 20s. Very sunburned. He was pacing back and forth. It made me nervous as I approached closer to him. All he had with him was a small gym type bag, sitting on the ground. A soccer game was being played nearby. The only thing I could figure was, after the game is over, he finds shelter somewhere by the field. Darkness was approaching, he was near no roads. Where was he going?

About a mile later I saw a man who appeared to be, maybe, in his 40s, with a girl who appeared to be a mid-teenager. They also were badly sunburned. The man was carrying a water jug. The girl was barefoot.

I turned around shortly after I passed the man and girl. Coming up behind them I saw horrible big, bloody, red sores on the girl's legs.

Where were they heading? They were a long ways from Riverside Drive.

It was such a strange juxtaposition, seeing so many people enjoying frivolous fun at Gateway Park, playing games. Seeing others, like me, having fun riding bikes. And then seeing these Great Depression expressions on sad tortured faces.

It bothered me. But, what could I do? Nothing.

I mentioned what I saw to someone this morning. I opined that there should be someplace that helps people in dire straights. The party I was speaking to said there was. I asked what? The party did not know.

Now, I'm a fairly well-read guy who keeps up on stuff. If I were in dire straights I do not have the slightest clue who I could call for help. It seems to me that such a safety net should be real clear and obvious.

I have read about a wise man who is supposed to have said something like 'That which you do to the least among you, you do to me." Andm "Do to others what'd you'd want done to you." Or something like that.

I know a couple years ago Fort Worth sent a task force to Portland, Seattle and Denver to see how those more progressive towns dealt with their homeless people problem. The task force returned impressed with what they'd seen, realizing Fort Worth had some fixin' to do.

Unless I missed it, I don't think anything has been implemented to replicate the systems the Fort Worth task force saw in Portland, Seattle and Denver.

It seems there are thousands of churches here in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. One would think the churches would feel compelled to cooperate together in some sort of community program to help people get back on their feet.

Yes, I know there is some of that type stuff out there. Help from charities and churches, I mean, but none of it is very well publicized. And there certainly is nothing I know of like what rescued the Joad Family in Grapes of Wrath, driving into a federally run camp that was there to help them get back on their feet.

I am going to go on a sunset bikeride again tonight on the Trinity Trails. I hope I see no homeless people.