Here are a few posts that Circus made on our last 2 days on the east coast. He is a beautiful writer. Enjoy.
11/26 The Last Days of the U-Hungry? Cafe... Or are they?
I'm sitting on a real bed in a budget hotel in NYC and I've had a day to reflect. I couldn't write this last night. I was beyond drained, and had no words for what I (we) were feeling. Both Karissa and I broke down into tears during our last day on the truck. We wanted to do just a simple day of feeding our regulars and saying our good-byes, so we ended it much in the same way we started. With the same crew of 3 that we had on our inaugural run, Karissa, Alice, and myself. But for the final evening run we were joined once again by Vermin Supreme and his nephew Jake. I finally got to have the complete U-Hungry? experience when I made Alice drive the truck for part of the route and I got to cook up some Porkroll, egg, and cheese in the back with my baby! It was so fitting to serve up a local favorite that was so kindly donated by a couple of our very regular costumers. We gave out tons of food at every stop reminding everyone that this was our "Last Call for the U-Hungry? Cafe!". The kitchen at the Firehouse was being dismantled and smaller crews that are focused on different aspects of the recovery effort (including a new "U-Hungry?") are being formed but not in one central location, so there was lots of food to distribute to the community. We started the day in Union Beach, stopping longer than usual at most stops to visit one last time with the people that we've come to know as family. We exchanged contact info and hugs with many people who all told us that we don't know how much we've meant to them. I suppose that they're right. We will never know the extent of relief and gratitude they must have felt when out of nowhere a U-Haul truck showed up with people cooking in the back and offered them a hot meal and cup of coffee, while they were standing in a place they used to know so well and now looks like a twisted version of Hell! I can only imagine. And to see us day after day while crews worked to rip out soggy drywall and warped floors, coming up the street honking and shouting "U Hungry?" I'm sure it must seamed like a dream. I'm glad we could play our part. That's all this was to us. Just playing a necessary role. We were just the manifestation of what Spirit wanted to happen. We are just the vessels. We put ourselves out there, trusting in that, and that faith never let us down. Countless people saw and felt our faith, and supported our efforts and we will be ever grateful for all those who contributed in endless ways. Karissa and I are big believers that everything will happen as it's meant to, and this was a big test of that and a big reminder of how true that is. I was reminded on that yet again on our last day of serving. We often get people trying to give us cash donations while we're serving and we've had a policy of refusing to take them. But on the fist part of our last run we had rows of "disaster tourists" passing us on Front St and two cars in a row pulled over to try to offer us money. I told the first person that they should go give it directly to one of the people affected by Sandy, and not the Red Cross. Then right after that a well dressed guy in a high end Mercedes came up to me and stuffed a sizable amount of cash in my hand. And rather than tell him no, I took it and as I was putting in my pocket I told him "I hope you know that I'm just going to give this to someone else, OK?" He was headed back to the car but stopped and turned and said, No, No, you keep it. I explained that we had covered our costs and that I would passing his donation on to someone who I felt needed it. He gave me a hug and said "OK, God Bless you" and left. I wasn't sure what it all meant or how I would pass that on, because so many people need so much here. But it all became clear at our last stop. We went to a Hotel in Keansburg that had a lot of displaced families from the storm. It was late so we gave boxes of food to the Inn keeper to distribute to anyone who needed it in the morning. But as we were about to leave a guy showed up and we gave him a box of food and hot sandwiches for him, his wife, and their four kids. His little girls came running out as precious as could be to say thank you and he talked with me for a bit about how things just kept getting worse instead of better since the storm. It was obvious that he was the one to pass on our donation to so before he could say no, I stuffed it in his pocket while we was holding his daughter and then we drove off. What I take away from that is just another example of how we are just the messengers. That guy in the nice car would have never found the stressed out father in the hotel, so we played our part in connecting them. The same way we connected all the people who donated money, supplies, and their time to the people who needed it the most. I've seen a lot of comments saying how amazing Karissa and I are or that we're "heroes", and neither one of us believe that for a second. We feel that the work we did was amazing and we impacted many lives in a positive way, but we're just two people. Anyone could do what we or other volunteers have done. And maybe just by going and doing it and promoting it as we have, others will be inspired to do something crazy like this in the future. It doesn't have to be cooking food in a truck. If there is a need and you can do something to help without putting your own well being at risk, than you too can step up and lend a hand to others. We are all one. Our fates are all intertwined and connected. Serving others is the highest honor. As I told many people in NJ who were somewhat reluctant to take a free hot meal, "It's not Charity, it's Solidarity!"
11/26 The Last Days of the U-Hungry? Cafe... Or are they?
I'm sitting on a real bed in a budget hotel in NYC and I've had a day to reflect. I couldn't write this last night. I was beyond drained, and had no words for what I (we) were feeling. Both Karissa and I broke down into tears during our last day on the truck. We wanted to do just a simple day of feeding our regulars and saying our good-byes, so we ended it much in the same way we started. With the same crew of 3 that we had on our inaugural run, Karissa, Alice, and myself. But for the final evening run we were joined once again by Vermin Supreme and his nephew Jake. I finally got to have the complete U-Hungry? experience when I made Alice drive the truck for part of the route and I got to cook up some Porkroll, egg, and cheese in the back with my baby! It was so fitting to serve up a local favorite that was so kindly donated by a couple of our very regular costumers. We gave out tons of food at every stop reminding everyone that this was our "Last Call for the U-Hungry? Cafe!". The kitchen at the Firehouse was being dismantled and smaller crews that are focused on different aspects of the recovery effort (including a new "U-Hungry?") are being formed but not in one central location, so there was lots of food to distribute to the community. We started the day in Union Beach, stopping longer than usual at most stops to visit one last time with the people that we've come to know as family. We exchanged contact info and hugs with many people who all told us that we don't know how much we've meant to them. I suppose that they're right. We will never know the extent of relief and gratitude they must have felt when out of nowhere a U-Haul truck showed up with people cooking in the back and offered them a hot meal and cup of coffee, while they were standing in a place they used to know so well and now looks like a twisted version of Hell! I can only imagine. And to see us day after day while crews worked to rip out soggy drywall and warped floors, coming up the street honking and shouting "U Hungry?" I'm sure it must seamed like a dream. I'm glad we could play our part. That's all this was to us. Just playing a necessary role. We were just the manifestation of what Spirit wanted to happen. We are just the vessels. We put ourselves out there, trusting in that, and that faith never let us down. Countless people saw and felt our faith, and supported our efforts and we will be ever grateful for all those who contributed in endless ways. Karissa and I are big believers that everything will happen as it's meant to, and this was a big test of that and a big reminder of how true that is. I was reminded on that yet again on our last day of serving. We often get people trying to give us cash donations while we're serving and we've had a policy of refusing to take them. But on the fist part of our last run we had rows of "disaster tourists" passing us on Front St and two cars in a row pulled over to try to offer us money. I told the first person that they should go give it directly to one of the people affected by Sandy, and not the Red Cross. Then right after that a well dressed guy in a high end Mercedes came up to me and stuffed a sizable amount of cash in my hand. And rather than tell him no, I took it and as I was putting in my pocket I told him "I hope you know that I'm just going to give this to someone else, OK?" He was headed back to the car but stopped and turned and said, No, No, you keep it. I explained that we had covered our costs and that I would passing his donation on to someone who I felt needed it. He gave me a hug and said "OK, God Bless you" and left. I wasn't sure what it all meant or how I would pass that on, because so many people need so much here. But it all became clear at our last stop. We went to a Hotel in Keansburg that had a lot of displaced families from the storm. It was late so we gave boxes of food to the Inn keeper to distribute to anyone who needed it in the morning. But as we were about to leave a guy showed up and we gave him a box of food and hot sandwiches for him, his wife, and their four kids. His little girls came running out as precious as could be to say thank you and he talked with me for a bit about how things just kept getting worse instead of better since the storm. It was obvious that he was the one to pass on our donation to so before he could say no, I stuffed it in his pocket while we was holding his daughter and then we drove off. What I take away from that is just another example of how we are just the messengers. That guy in the nice car would have never found the stressed out father in the hotel, so we played our part in connecting them. The same way we connected all the people who donated money, supplies, and their time to the people who needed it the most. I've seen a lot of comments saying how amazing Karissa and I are or that we're "heroes", and neither one of us believe that for a second. We feel that the work we did was amazing and we impacted many lives in a positive way, but we're just two people. Anyone could do what we or other volunteers have done. And maybe just by going and doing it and promoting it as we have, others will be inspired to do something crazy like this in the future. It doesn't have to be cooking food in a truck. If there is a need and you can do something to help without putting your own well being at risk, than you too can step up and lend a hand to others. We are all one. Our fates are all intertwined and connected. Serving others is the highest honor. As I told many people in NJ who were somewhat reluctant to take a free hot meal, "It's not Charity, it's Solidarity!"
Stay strong New Jersey. I know you
will. I will see you all in my thoughts and prayers for a long time to
come. It may take a while but I know you'll rebuild better than ever. I
hope to come back and visit you all one day, and we can look back at
this time and remember it for how it brought people together more than
it has ripped lives apart.
11/27
It's been a long day to say the least. We woke
up this morning in NYC and now we're back home in Seattle. Anyone can
imagine the time and energy that would take under normal circumstances,
but nothing about this journey has been "normal". Some of today's
highlights include driving the U-Haul through Downtown Manhattan. All
the way down 7th ave from 96th St. to Greenwich Village, then through
the H
olland Tunnel to Newark. That route
took us smack dab through the center of Times Square and all the crazy
traffic that New York is famous for (see video). I gotta say that it was
both stressful and hella fun! My friends have always commented on my
somewhat aggressive driving style with remarks like "you missed your
calling as a Tijuana Taxi driver" so I guess I was in my element as we
made good time.
After arriving at U-Haul we were delayed while the local reps talked to corporate for the longest time. When I walked in the lady there said "Hey, I recognize you from the TV", so I guess they knew who we were and what we had been up to. After Joanne at U-H HQ cleared us and promised to reverse the charges, we took a gipsy cab to the airport just in time to board our plane home. So that was the surface level details of the day.
On an emotional level I don't know what I feel. My head is swirling with thoughts and images, faces and stories, and a mixed bag of feelings ranging from relief to be home and guilt at not being able to stay longer and do more. I know we did a lot, but I can't help feeling that way. For the people of NY/NJ this is still going on and it's far from over. When do they get to just "go home"? And will it even feel like home ever again? I've moved around a lot and can feel "home" almost anywhere, but so many of the people we served these past few weeks have grown up and raised families there. Generations have stayed in the same area and that's probably what gives it such a tight knit, small town feeling even so close to a Megalopolis like New York. Hearts and houses have been broken but so many who weathered that storm just consider themselves fortunate to have their lives and loved ones in tact. And I know people with that much strength and perseverance will adapt and continue to thrive for generations to come. But in the meantime, for now, it's going to be a long bleak winter for our family on the bay shore. I wish I could do more for them, and perhaps Karissa and I will find ways to support the recovery efforts from here. But for now, I'm sending you all my Love in hopes that you can wear it as a blanket that will keep you warm and safe.
After arriving at U-Haul we were delayed while the local reps talked to corporate for the longest time. When I walked in the lady there said "Hey, I recognize you from the TV", so I guess they knew who we were and what we had been up to. After Joanne at U-H HQ cleared us and promised to reverse the charges, we took a gipsy cab to the airport just in time to board our plane home. So that was the surface level details of the day.
On an emotional level I don't know what I feel. My head is swirling with thoughts and images, faces and stories, and a mixed bag of feelings ranging from relief to be home and guilt at not being able to stay longer and do more. I know we did a lot, but I can't help feeling that way. For the people of NY/NJ this is still going on and it's far from over. When do they get to just "go home"? And will it even feel like home ever again? I've moved around a lot and can feel "home" almost anywhere, but so many of the people we served these past few weeks have grown up and raised families there. Generations have stayed in the same area and that's probably what gives it such a tight knit, small town feeling even so close to a Megalopolis like New York. Hearts and houses have been broken but so many who weathered that storm just consider themselves fortunate to have their lives and loved ones in tact. And I know people with that much strength and perseverance will adapt and continue to thrive for generations to come. But in the meantime, for now, it's going to be a long bleak winter for our family on the bay shore. I wish I could do more for them, and perhaps Karissa and I will find ways to support the recovery efforts from here. But for now, I'm sending you all my Love in hopes that you can wear it as a blanket that will keep you warm and safe.
