Project Kengikat

New Laptop

// July 4th, 2010 // HIV and AIDS, Me Time

I know some people might be reading the title of this blog and say “How did he buy a new laptop?” Well I didn’t buy a new laptop, but one of the residents from my Skid Row outreach did and he called me to ask if I would help him. I was excited for him, so of course I said yes.

It’s the 4th of July, so I needed to check to make sure the store he wanted to go to was open, I also wanted to check the train schedule to see how they were running as well. Most importantly I wanted to make certain my cell phone was fully charged and not acting like a crackberry like it has been doing for the past two weeks. You can never be too careful when riding METRO here in Los Angeles. I guess this is true for anyone who rides public transportation all over this country.

Last week I was able to get some informational books on healthy living with HIV from Louis at the Gay and Lesbian Center. I also had a pill container that was passed out while I attended an HIV update through Being Alive. I packed these items into my backpack to take with me to Skid Row and leave them in the TV room for the residents. I am hoping to be able to get some POZ Magazines to take down there as well. I am still waiting to hear back from someone at POZ. As much information on HIV and AIDS that I can make available to the residents means the more tools they have to help them live long and healthy lives with HIV or AIDS.

Things started off pretty smooth. Since the fair machines inside the station do not accept METRO issued coins for the METRO issued TAP card that we must now carry, I had to jump on a bus, instead of walking the four blocks to the METRO Red Line. Seem rather odd that I can get a day pass with the METRO issued coins on a METRO bus, but not at a METRO fair station inside the METRO stations. This is almost as odd as not having agents inside the stations should someone need to ask questions, fair cards stop working or if there is some emergency.

Once off the bus and down into the station I could here the train arriving at the platform. I was able to TAP my card and dash through the gate and make the train right as the doors were starting to close. This was sweet and meant that I would arrive in Downtown Los Angeles at least 30 minutes faster then I thought I would. The train was pretty empty, so I was able to get a seat. With the holiday this didn’t surprise. I was at the Vermont street station in no time and this is where I would make my transfer to the METRO Rapid 720 bus. I have learned to make the transfer at this station instead of riding to Pershing Square station and then have to walk 4 blocks to get the 720 bus. At Vermont the 720 is right up stairs.

Things didn’t go so well on the 720. The bus was packed, the driver seemed to be having a bad day and the bus smelled like a gang of shit filled diapers. There was no air and no matter where you tried to stand things were tight. I made my way toward the back of the of the bus through the extended section and once through the extended area there was plenty of room, even seats so I sat down. I had my shuffle on, so at first I did not notice the loud noise coming the group of drunks behind me, but after about 2 minutes on the bus, things went south. Two guys rushed past where I was sitting, down the set of steps and turned around yelling towards the back of the bus. When I saw one flip the finger toward someone in the back, I pressed pause on my shuffle. Another guy was pulling the one yelling towards the back and speaking to him in Spanish. From what I could understand he was telling him, to let it go and they should just get off the bus. The other guy wasn’t willing to let it go. He kept yelling at the guy a few seat behind me in the back. This is when I heard from behind me “Shut the fuck up before I kill you.”

The guy standing near me was no longer as brave as he first was and began to move toward the front of the bus pushing his way through the crowd and the extension area. Since I was in the back area where you must go up two steps my seat had a clear shot of the driver in her mirror. The two guys started talking to her and the look in her face was not very comforting. I saw her read for phone and start talking. This is when I heard the woman seated behind me say in a soft voice to the woman next to her “He has a gun”

While talking on the phone the driver kept driving like normal, but since this is a Rapid there was no stops for her to make. However she was driving very slow and when the time came to make the turn onto 6th street she sat there for a very long time. She finally made her turn but continued to drive very slow. We pulled into the next stop and about 10 minutes later there were police all around the bus. From the time this took place until it ended with us having to get off the bus and board another bus it was 35 minutes. What sticks out most for me is the fact that it took the police over 12 minutes to respond. I never saw a gun, but I do know someone was placed in handcuffs. I have always said that METRO puts profits in front of public safety. This can also be said about the new programs they roll out. Just like TAP card that riders must pay to get and pay to load them as well. However if they don’t work METRO you must mail them back to an outside contractor for METRO.

I was really happy to finally be able to exit the bus and get on the new one. I was even more happy when I got off,because just as he pulled up to my stop a fight broke out in the center of the bus. As I walked down the street the bus remained at the stop with it’s emergency lights blinking. Sometimes riding METRO can be a real nightmare. I am glad that even in the midst of all of this mess, no one was hurt and I was able to get to where I was going.

We walked to Office Depot and I showed Donald the computers we had already spoke about on the phone. He asked questions and I was able to answer them for him. After about 15 minutes he decided to go with a Toshiba. He also picked a shoulder bag to carry it. We headed to the check out, grabbed some drinks from Starbucks and I spent the rest of the afternoon helping him get all set up and show him some things on his computer. I even able to help him when he called the cable company to get set up with wireless service.

Donald is one of the very first residents I met when I first started my outreach on Skid Row, he is someone I care for a great deal. He is also someone who is in full control of living with HIV, not afraid to ask questions, seeks out advice, support and education on HIV and so many other things. He is someone I am always happy to see and speak to. He is a long term survivor and someone I look up to, admire and respect. He is also someone I consider as my friend. He is always so kind and always so eager to help and provide assistance. He can also make you crack up laughing too.

It’s was a real treat to see how happy he was to purchase a laptop for himself. So cool to see the sparkle in his eye and the joy in his voice when he talked about his independence and how he is eager to learn about using the laptop. It was the perfect way for me to spend this 4th of July, helping someone gain more of their own independence.

I can hardly wait to see him on FACEBOOK and make SKYPE calls with him. I am so very proud of him and how is is working very hard to live a great, happy, healthy and productive life. Just to see the smile on his face was so damn awesome.

The ride home on METRO was very quiet and danger free, which was very nice. Once home I made a scrambled eggsandwich, took Dodger for a walk, spoke with a friend and then kicked back. Tomorrow is Monday and I going to the ceramic studio. I’ve got some really cool things I am working on that I am so looking forward to completing. Plus I have at least five pieces that should be ready to be fired.