From Columbus w/Love

[BlewJ]

Just giving a shout out to the three people I met and gave a ride to from Columbus, OH to Lexington, KY. It was a good day. Tree, Brock, and Poe, hello!!!

I was coming from WalMart and these three were flying a sign. I offered to come back once I had some cash, but turned around before I got to where I was going, came back and got them some Wendys. Using my GPS, 2010 atlas, and local phone book, we figured out the price of a Greyhound from hither to yon, and decided together it would cost less (and be more fun) if I gave them a lift. I got my wife's permission, and off we set. We watched some vids on YouTube and had some laughs first, and then took the three hour trip out of state. They'd been stuck here for three days, and in town for a total of seven, I think. Anyway, they're good people. I've been homeless, but never ridden the rails. I know only that I don't know anything.

I found this on Wikipedia:

1. Decide your own life; don't let another person run or rule you.
2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials; try to be a gentleman or lady at all times.
3. Don't take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals, or other hobos.
4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again.
5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your talents at crafts.
6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals' treatment of other hobos.
7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out; another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse, than you.
8. Always respect nature; do not leave litter where you are jungling.
9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.
10. Try to stay clean; boil up wherever possible.
11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, and act like an extra crew member.
12. Do not cause problems in a train yard; another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard.
13. Do not allow other hobos to molest children; expose all molesters to authorities. They are the worst garbage to infest any society!
14. Help all runaway children, and try to persuade them to return home.
15. Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever neede;, you may need their help someday.
16. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it. Whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!

I wanted to see what others thought. I figure the Wikipedia article is fraught with mistakes and out of date, especially because of some of the slang used, such as "skank" for a handkerchief. LOL. If anyone else is going to pass through Columbus, keep in mind it's an NS train yard, it's a ghost yard, but also if you do find your way here, if you let me know via email (if possible) or on here (um, also if possible), I'll make sure you get something warm in your belly and some clothes or whatever else I can help with.

 

[614 crust]

hey do I know you. this is angel or randy. anyway thanks for giving those kids a ride. i WAS HOPING THEY MADE IT OUT OK.
ALSO WELcome to the site.

 

[BlewJ]

I would love to spend my life helping those that are, however. Anyone know organizations or whatever that focus on this that are trustworthy? Specifically those traveling, not just those stationary.
Food Not Bombs I've been told. I'm not sure if they are here in Cols or not.

 

[Pheonix]

Columbus used to be a chill place for traveling kids until Campus Partners decided to clean up the campus area by running all the dirty kids away. they went after any organization that helped the homeless dirty kids with a vengeance (they made Buckeye Reality evict the Jesus House cause they were feeding the homeless and got the coffee shop that everyone hung out at shut down) I haven't been to Columbus in a minute so I'm not sure if there is what your looking for but some of the punks that go to Bernie's (punk bar on 16th ave. and high st.) might be able to give you more info then me.

might I suggest starting your own organization

 

[BlewJ]

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.

Einstein, everybody. Einstein. I'll look into starting something. Thank you.

 

[Benny]

Just when I have come to hate 97% of North Americans, I have to reconsider my views. That was a very decent thing to do.

 

[BlewJ]

Well, thank you. I hesitate to talk about having done something others might consider decent for fear of being a braggart, but when I'm trying to find what I should do with my life, I want to be as honest and open as possible. Again, thank you for the moving words, Benny.

 

[BlewJ]

The day after I met them, I met Cricket. He is traveling with his wife. I gave him my banjo. He played that thing like an angel plays a harp. I didn't get to hang out with him as long, but it was good meeting him. I'm starting to recognize, though I know not how, people who are not just panhandling for a living.

 

[BlewJ]

hey do I know you. this is angel or randy. anyway thanks for giving those kids a ride. i WAS HOPING THEY MADE IT OUT OK.
ALSO WELcome to the site.

How did you know about them if you don't mind me asking?

 

[panik]

was the tree person a goofy hippie-ish girl?
ugh I'm back in ohio right now...I'm from columbus but my family moved to springfield, so here I am as of last night! just coming across the ohio river from virginia yesterday gave me a sinking feeling.

as far as food not bombs here goes, when I lived here like...jeez like 4 years ago? there wasn't one. not that that's relevant now.
that's cool of you to offer that up to travelers through.
(that's strange they were stuck here because it's pretty easy to catch a train to kentucky?)

 

[BlewJ]

They had troubles with the NS train yard. Tree was a short guy with black hair. Poe was a girl.

When I say I want to help, I mean in situations like this. I don't want to try to get someone off the roads unless that's what they want, I don't want to give phony sympathy, I don't want to help someone that doesn't want it. I just want to be ready when someone needs something to recognize and be willing and able. I'd also like to do what I can do get a Food Not Bombs started, though I've never organized anything. I feel really passionate about this. It's what I feel I'm supposed to do with my life, at least for now.

 

[Pheonix]

so I did a little digging and found the email of the people that run food not bombs in columbus fnb@arawakcity.org
if you get ahold of them could you post the location and time of the free meal in this thread?

 

[BlewJ]

Columbus used to be a chill place for traveling kids until Campus Partners decided to clean up the campus area by running all the dirty kids away. they went after any organization that helped the homeless dirty kids with a vengeance (they made Buckeye Reality evict the Jesus House cause they were feeding the homeless and got the coffee shop that everyone hung out at shut down) I haven't been to Columbus in a minute so I'm not sure if there is what your looking for but some of the punks that go to Bernie's (punk bar on 16th ave. and high st.) might be able to give you more info then me.

might I suggest starting your own organization

Looks like Bernie's changed their name to the Distillery, but I'll check it out.

I'm trying to figure out why it's called the Punk Culture when not every every hobo is into punk rock.

 

[BlewJ]

so I did a little digging and found the email of the people that run food not bombs in columbus fnb@arawakcity.org
if you get ahold of them could you post the location and time of the free meal in this thread?

I'll email them again and hope they get back to me. Otherwise let me know when you're here and hungry, and I'll do my best despite them.

 

[614 crust]

How did you know about them if you don't mind me asking?

Trees is dirty_rotten_squatter from this site.
View Profile: dirty_rotten_squatter - Squat the Planet Forums

Oh and I'm from columbus by the way. I'm living in Lancaster at the moment though.

 

[BlewJ]

Trees is dirty_rotten_squatter from this site.
View Profile: dirty_rotten_squatter - Squat the Planet Forums

Oh and I'm from columbus by the way. I'm living in Lancaster at the moment though.

Fuck ya'. Thanks. Let me know if you plan on stopping back up through town sometime.

 

[Gypsy Smile]

You are such a Kindred Spirit! This was such a Beautiful and Honorable thing to do!
Its people like you that give me Hope that we can fix this world one Squatter helping another at a time!
You are a beautiful Soul, Brother!

 

[BlewJ]

Thank you, beautiful. It's kindness, relationship, and all of the other esoteric realities, the invisible heart strings, that mean something in this life. Not much else. Much love.

 

[BlewJ]

This is the email I got back from the Columbus, Ohio Food Not Bombs people:

"Come share a meal with us Sundays @ 5pm, 172 E. 5th Ave. at the Sporeprint Infoshop.

For a bit more info, try the spore website: What's Up at the Spore | Sporeprint Infoshop or stop by the shop sometime.

For Squat the Planet, we also have a community garden that is free and open to people; some of the food goes to Food Not Bombs, and I think some local squatters go pick tomatoes there. It is the Arawak City Gardens, located at 1455 N 4th Street."

 

[BlewJ]

Fuck. I went to Bernie's last night, and the bartender, someone pretty but young and dumb (not just pretty young and dumb) had no idea what I was talking about. I'll have to try again another night. I like it there, though. Live music FTW!