So, I have a new hand truck from George, which I’m happy about. It could use an extra bungee cord but it’s pretty decent and fits my suitcase. It has more concrete-friendly wheels. It will probably be more time consuming while getting on the free buses, but it is definitely worth it and I’m grateful. I can’t always depend on the shopping carts – they aren’t welcome inside the public libraries or bus terminals here and they’re often taken when I leave them outside.
The thing is, he became angry with me for mentioning that he had promised me a completely refurbished suitcase three weeks ago, give or take, and then (after the radio silence where I didn’t even attend church the following Saturday (because I couldn’t pull the suitcase with me!) and hadn’t seen him, I was waiting, waiting, and waiting, and then finally saw him the next Saturday at church (I’d luckily found another shopping cart to throw the suitcase in).
Just to review, George had:
-Written me an email where he first promised to get me a hand truck and all I’d need to do to pay him back was “smile more often”.
-Then wrote another email in which he’d told me that a new big suitcase had come into the Lord’s Gift House. I showed up in church that weekend to get it, he’d told me to hide my current suitcase (the one with the broken wheel) because “he (some other dude) might not give it to me if he saw that I already had a suitcase” (even if it was broken). There was nowhere to “hide” it there, and he suddenly went AWOL (I couldn’t find him.) So I left with no new suitcase.
-When I reached out to follow up with him via email, he’d written me an email in which he proposed constructing me a new bottom for my current suitcase with “concrete friendly” wheels, and would be able to purchase the supplies cheaply from a home supply store, come in, etc. “Help me help you,” he’d written.
He’d told me to come in the following Tuesday, which I did. I sent him a photo of the wheels on the bottom of my suitcase so he’d know what he was dealing with.
-When I showed up for the “Suitcase Refurbishing Consultation” with him, it was quite delightful. He’d proclaimed that he would be purchasing all the supplies from the local home supply store for less than 20 dollars, and would prefer it if I’d come in on a Tuesday, since that wasn’t his normal workday, etc. I complimented him on the skills set to be able to do that, and thanked him profusely for being willing to do this for me.
-As I’ve already reported, I received no follow up communication from George despite all these profuse promises
(both in writing and verbally!) and was essentially waylaid from much of my usual travel due to the handicapped suitcase and no shopping cart at my disposal that week.
-Last week I went to church again. I’d gotten the sense that he’d regretted making the promises to me and wanted out, maybe he was trying to ghost me. I felt at peace about the whole thing, that God would see me through, with or without George’s help. I saw him and told him that if he wasn’t able to do it, not to worry about it. I realize he’d be doing me a favor, I’d said, and I didn’t want to trouble him unnecessarily. Oh no, he’d responded, “My donors were really good to me this week, so there should be no problem, Tuesday or Thursday should work.” I was obviously thrilled because I’ve been really depending on him, even though I gave him an out in case he didn’t want to do the work or spend the coin.
Monday I got an email from him: “Great News For Your Suitcase”, in which he told me that “something great just jumped into my car” for your suitcase. But please come in on Wednesday or Friday because I don’t have enough money to come in to work an extra day (on Tuesday).” Great, we’d responded, see you on Wednesday.
To wrap this saga up: I went in just now – I got a dolly for the suitcase with one bungee cord. He said I’d need another one and apologized for not getting me two, he just didn’t have the money for it.
I tried it out, and the suitcase immediately fell off of it and onto my foot. “OW!” I yelled.
“Hahahah” he chuckled.
“You know, I’m not sure this is going to work for me. What happened to the whole ‘I’m going to refurbish the bottom of this suitcase’ that you said you were going to do? First, you were going to get me this. That was over three weeks ago. Then you promised you would put completely new wheels and put wood on the bottom, completely refurbish it, so I was waiting on this for such a long time.”
He then flipped out and said, “My feelings are so hurt that you are criticizing this free gift I’m giving you. Then just take this and be on your way and I’ll sever the relationship.”
Can you freaking believe that?
I responded, “My feelings are hurt that the suitcase just fell on my foot and hurt me and you laughed at that. You told me that you were going to do one thing, I keep my word when I give it, I don’t make promises I can’t keep, much less try to turn it around and blame me about it. I don’t want to sever our relationship over this, nor should you, if you profess to be a Christian man.”
Aren’t you though? Isn’t that what this church and your “ministry” is ultimately all about?
Then he responded “I’ve been womanized” (whatever that means). Then he tried to make me feel guilty that he’d spent “his last money” on the hand truck. I guess he didn’t remember telling me how generous his donors were to him last week, or he really hates me and is a part of the whole racketeering operation down here.
It’s totally possible. I recently had an extended conversation with someone who basically told me that Silvester has been a homeless pimp for like the last twenty years, running game on every new homeless girl/woman who comes through this circuit, and tried to make me feel stupid for “getting involved” with him. Live and learn.
Point being, Silvester is treated like a god or at least a respected leader at First Baptist (he’s very close with the music ministry leader, Melinda) and also at Our Father Soup Kitchen (where “Miss Katie” refused to even call the cops on him after he’d backhanded the water bottle out of my hand and threatened to “pay someone 50 dollars to put a bullet in my ass.”)
George also referred to the voodoo practicing Judy McCormick as “one of his stars” once, and I was like, uh….yeah ok.
Now that I’ve made Judy and Silvester, among others, as players in the organized crime ring down here, it would probably make sense if George also is a part of it.
I just didn’t want to be right, I guess.