*Somehow* I managed to right myself (Thank You, Jesus!), regain my footing, and sprint the rest of the way towards their car. No Bibles were harmed.
It was an interesting handout.
We had a really excellent ride. When we arrived I got the driver to take a photo. Ron held both cases stacked on top of the wheelchair arms until we got to our destination.
At first I wanted to work Centre Blvd. It was right there, and there was a surveyor on the "good" looking median, a block down Bissonnet. However, I realized it had minimal traffic. Other than the Spanish guys, a couple of "white folk", and an African fellow with a lovely accent, it was dead.
My first English recipient was absolutely shocked when I refused her money. I got that attitude a lot today. No one with a sign on the corner refuses money! Except me.
I apologized profusely to Ron, reloaded, and headed off down the street. "He's just going to have to share" I told Ron, about the surveyor.
The surveyor made a big point of ignoring us.
The neighborhood had a hopeless, despairing, feel but it wasn't as bad as I thought. The recipients were eager, and if anything, I got to distribute to far more ethnicities. A Jamaican lady stopped dead, gaping at me, walking down the sidewalk. I ran over and found out she'd like two. A little later I gave one to one of her countrymen, wearing long dreadlocks, also gaping at me.
While I saw prostitutes (especially towards the end of, and after, the Handout), none were interested. In fact, one older lady who appeared manic shouted at me from the corner for a couple of minutes. Lunch hour being what it is, I didn't hear a word but she seemed pretty worked up.
Perhaps she felt I was there in a spirit of judgement. I was not, of course. I just hate to think of people hurting without God in their lives, I want to share Him. If you have a sin issue in your life, God will do the judgement and conviction.
I was a little frustrated, the light was so short. Suddenly, 20 minutes into the Handout, everything erupted into mayhem. I realized the light was out.
I had a captive audience. Houston traffic, at it's best, is horrific. Take a lunch rush, a very busy street, and no traffic light, and you've got insanity.
I now had plenty of time to walk up and down in a leisurely manner, chatting with the recipients. I must have handed out 15 to young Black men covered in tattoos.
One well dressed pedestrian kept wandering around, carrying a backpack. He wasn't homeless. I suspect he was "in marketing". At any rate he came over and got a Bible.
Several other pedestrians also got Bibles. They seem to be more interested, overall, than the cars, maybe because they can watch for a little while and see what I'm about.
The Spanish folk were thrilled to get a Bible in their own language, touched and thrilled. I offered "Espanol?" in my very bad Spanish. Not a few told me, indignantly, they wanted an ENGLISH Bible. I apologized and handed it over. However, out of 24 whole Spanish Bibles, I distributed 19. I'd ask if they wanted Spanish, then "Cuantos?" (How many). "De nada" (it's nothing).
A guy from the storage place, two blocks down (the manager no less) walked over. "Oh, Bibles! Usually they hand out free condoms."
I laughed "I'm in the right neighborhood, then!" He agreed, accepted a Bible, and left.
I had a few cars I had to chase, they had indicated they wanted Bibles but the light changed, or the traffic was letting them "go". I bolted after them, waving the Bibles and yelling "Wait!". They did, got the Bibles, and left. I imagine I was pretty funny chasing them like a dog.
I "caught" one lady taking a photo, grinned, and waved. A firetruck came by and the driver pointed me out to the other firemen, mouthing "Free Bibles".
I didn't know it, but I had a policecar watching me for a significant part of the Handout. As you know I obey the law so no rope to hang me. Remember this.
I find, in a new neighborhood, a lot of people just gape at me the first couple times. Once I become a "fixture" they are either indifferent or interested. I just did my best to grin and wave at all of them.
When I could (before the light died) I distributed to the bus stop. The harried looking Spanish Mom was very grateful. She was wrangling two small kids - remember there's nothing to keep them from running into traffic, either.
As Ron and I were wrapping it up, a car pulled up on the wrong side of the street. She had her window down, and a passenger. I handed her two Bibles.
"I know you from work" she said, grabbing a handful of change. I gave her the "don't take money" routine and told her "Every snack you buy from our machines buys a Bible!" she grinned at that and drove off.
If people didn't already know at work, they do now!
We headed across the street, and here comes the police car. [Bad Word] Well, I wasn't doing anything wrong!
"Excuse me" she yelled out her window.
Uh, oh. I turned around, glad I have the ACLJ phone number in my phone book. "Yes?"
"Do you have any Bibles left?"
I asked her how many she'd like, gave her two, and Ron and I headed off to lunch (Brisket fries)!
I forgot to add, 19 Spanish whole Bibles (huge, huge, huge with the recipients), and at least 73 English. In an hour's time.
Boy does God ever bring 'em.
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