Epileptic and on the Streets

Brenda has been on the streets since April of 2015. She told me that she landed on the streets because of life. 

“I have five kids and me and their dad didn’t get along and his mamma wouldn’t let me come back home,” she explained to me. Brenda then said, “I’m epileptic and I have been cut off by TNCare.” I asked if she has had any seizures in recent days after she told me that she has been without medication for quite some time and she responded,  “I had two last night and three about three days ago.”

“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” - Flannery O'Connor

Life on the street can be violent

An attempted machete attack took place this past March in a Murfreesboro homeless camp, according to a police report (MPD Incident Report 16-5895, A). That being said, being homeless is not exactly easy.

When homeless, you deal with a wide variety of people with a myriad of problems. Some problems are not exactly big while others are more than the average person could even begin to grasp.

A few people who are on the streets simply lost a job and prior to the job loss, they were living paycheck to paycheck. Others have untreated mental health issues.

Some who have undiagnosed mental illnesses were once living with family that could no longer tolerate the living arraignment. Others on the street were abused as children and never got the proper counseling to learn how to deal with the flashbacks they now face daily. Drugs and alcohol and even prostitution to fund the addictions is not unheard of in many situations.

Now, back to the reported attack involving victim George Brewer… he said that suspect Chad Jones is now on the run after the incident.

According to the initial police report, 34-year Jones allegedly went to the campsite of Brewer and began yelling at him. Evidently, Jones woke up the victim who said he was scared for his safety when Jones was said to have tried attacking him.

The report stated that 43 year old Brewer told Jones that he was calling the police, which is when Jones reportedly picked up a machete that was at the campsite. Brewer says that Jones started swinging the machete at him and he feared for his life. While moving away from Jones, the victim fell into his tent. Police say they observed two cuts on the tent that were alleged to have been caused by the swinging machete.

Brewer told me on Friday (5/13/16) that he was able to grab a hook knife and slice Jones in the middle of the incident. The injuries were likely bad, but not bad enough to keep Jones from fleeing before police arrived.

Jones has a long criminal history that includes charges of driving on a revoked license and vandalism to multiple domestic assault convictions and numerous aggravated assault convictions.

Warrants for aggravated assault and vandalism were obtained for Jones, but he has not been apprehended.

Cancer Sucks

At age 45, most of us think about life, seeing our grandchildren in the future, running errands, etc. However, life does not always stream along like the perfect script from a Leave It To Beaver show. At 45, many are worried about what to wear to dinner or what to cook. Again, that is something that some don't have the good fortune to think about. In other words, some question if they will survive today or tonight. 

Tanya lives in a small motel room located in Nashville. Outside of her room a man was shot several days ago. Down the street, a similar incident unfolded in a restaurant parking lot. Drug dealers and pimps knock on her motel door almost nightly thinking they have the right room, but they don’t. The rent is high and rings in at close to $350 per week. During a four week month she pays over $1,400.

Looking back she told me about her childhood in Nashville. Opryland was once a vibrant part of Nashville life and every child dreamed of being a country singer while walking through the heavily treed park with paths lined with over-sized guitars. Tanya was one of those kids.

As a six year old in 1977, Tanya had her first chance to perform at Opryland. She sang on the stage and that event led her to many other singing and even acting engagements throughout her life.

At 16, she was asked to be on Hee Haw. For those who are not from the South, Hee Haw was a popular TV series that first started in 1969. However, after filming an episode with her in it, the episode was cut because she was pregnant at the time. The producer told her it was a “Family” show and that a pregnant teen would not fit in. Life went on.

Tanya has been an extra in several movies, sang with Carl Tipton from Murfreesboro and even raised several children. She doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke and does not use drugs. She simply suffers from a complicated disease that is taking over her 45 year old body. Unable to work, she eventually found herself living in a motel.

Several years ago a visit to a Dickson, Tennessee medical facility led to doctors finding what appeared to be stage four breast cancer. Shortly after the discovery, a biopsy was performed during which the surgeon accidentally punctured a lung. However, that was not confirmed until about 12 hours later. Tanya told me that she told the doctor she was not feeling good prior to being discharged, but they sent her home anyway.

Soon after being rushed back to the hospital and undergoing surgery, she learned that she had lung cancer in addition to breast cancer. Fights with TNCare insurance soon followed as she sought help to battle her disease.

Tanya is a fighter and has the drive to survive. She has turned down help from Hospice as she talked to me about her future in her small and crowded motel room on Sunday night.

Tanya stated, “We found that there is a great facility in Columbia, Tennessee and they work well with my current insurance. It is called the Maury Regional Medical Center, but I have problems getting rides there to seek help. Rides that are set up through the states medical office fall through too often, which means I miss appointments.”

Tanya wants to move to the Columbia or Spring Hill area where it will be easier for her to get her needed treatment at the Cancer Center in Maury County. Between the incomes of both her and her boyfriend who suffers from numerous heart conditions, they could afford a small one bedroom unit in that area. But, help will be needed to find such a place, move them in and then help with groceries on a regular basis.

In a past conversation, she told me about her teeth... She has had problems with her teeth due to some of the cancer treatments. That being said, a dentist could also help her with some of the dental issues that many of those who fight cancer face on a daily basis.

Immediate Needs:

Currently, Tanya is in need of making the big move to the Maury County area. She is in need of food. She is in need of gift cards to Walgreens or Kroger to purchase her medication that is not available at the Hope Clinic in Nashville.

Some of the food items that are easy for her to digest include: Rice, Salmon (sold in pouches similar to the StarKist Tuna), Instant Potato Cups, Sprite, DeCaffe Sweet Tea and more. Tanya no longer drinks anything with caffeine in it. She has a small refrigerator and a microwave in her motel room.

If you would like to help, contact me. If you have a small group at church that could conquer her needs of finding her a one bedroom apartment near the Maury Reginal Medical Center, life would be much easier. Tanya and her significant other can afford $500 per month, which would be very reasonable in Columbia, TN. But, they will still need that small group to walk with her in the future journey. This would be a commitment, but a good one.

Olivia Newton-John once stated, “My family and friends were definitely the key to my recovery. One thing that I do suggest is that anyone dealing with a life-threatening illness like cancer choose a point person for people to call to find out how you are doing - a sister, brother, mother, father, daughter, son, or close friend.” Tanya does not have that point person. Most of her family deserted her after a bitter divorce, that was like a cancer as she described it.

I was born in 1955, the same year that Disneyland opened

I met Jim Galaz in the area of the Murfreesboro square today. It was interesting talking to him about his memories growing up.

“I was born in 1955, the same year that Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California,” he told me. With a smile he continued, “My father did construction there and he told me that no one was allowed to have a mustache because Mr. Disney had one.”

The $17 million theme park was built on 160 acres in Anaheim. It first opened in July of 1955. At the time, the famous Walt Disney was 54 years old and Mr. Galaz was not even one.

Stepping back further to 1928, Walt Disney introduced the nation to the famous cartoon “Steamboat Willy” starring “Mickey Mouse.” The film made history for several reasons, one because the world met the big eared mouse for the very first time. It was also the first time for a cartoon to come with sound. I guess you could say, the rest is history.

Back to Mr. Galaz… He is so proud of his children and grandchildren. In fact, they are the reason for his move to Middle Tennessee. He wanted to be closer to his daughter Shannon and his grandson Maximus who goes by the nickname of Max.

Max was born with Cytomegalovirus or Congenital CMV. Children born with CMV often have health issues like hearing or vision loss, an enlarged liver, central nervous system damage and more. About 1 in 150 children are born with CMV every year. The problems can lead to long term health issues in about 20 out of every 100 babies born with CMV.

“Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” Walt Disney (1901-1966)

The Starchild

He was dressed as The Starchild (Stanley) from the group KISS. I never fully understood the characters, but realized they understood performance as their costumes and acts were interesting to say the very least. 

I love finding interesting people to photograph. This man was at a KISS concert waiting to walk into the arena to watch the band that has a history dating back to 1973. Of course, the year was nowhere close to ’73. I captured this shot in 2015. 

The band was formed by Paul Stanley (Starchild) and Gene Simmons (The Demon) in ’73 and they are the only two musicians who stayed with the band throughout the years. Any other name was simply passing through stardom. 

Today, Paul Stanley is 64 and Gene Simmons is 66.

"Whenever anybody comes to me with a way that I can give something back, it would be ungrateful at this point in my life to not say yes." - Paul Stanley

Food for sale everywhere in Masaya

Homemade fried pies for sale! Food is for sale everywhere in Masaya, Nicaragua and in the outlying areas of the town. In this case, bakers sell what appear to be homemade fried pies. Many of the vendors work long hours seven days a week to support their family. 

Street Photography in Nicaragua

This young man is playing with a handmade Nicaragua Bolero. The small cone like stick he is holding has a string attached to it with a wooden ball on the end. The goal is to get the ball on the open end of the cone to stay as you throw it upwards. It is somewhat addictive, kinda’ like the video games some kids play in America, but not as intense. 

Photo with a Fuji X100s on the streets located between the departments of Masaya and Granada in Nicaragua.

Prayer in an Alley

Prayer in a back alley of Nicaragua. 

“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” ― Bruce Lee

Art of Living

I shot this in Nicaragua. 

Social reformer and doctor Havelock Ellis once stated,  "All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on." (1859-1939)

Just a little rest

He was simply resting while watching passing traffic outside of a store in Costa Rica. Resting is important for the soul.  

"I have never taken any exercise, except sleeping and resting, and I never intend to take any." -Mark Twain

Mother and Daughter

Mother and daughter on a shopping excursion at the neighborhood market in Costa Rica.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." - George Washington

From Little Rock to Nashville

He lives on the streets of Nashville and is 36-years old. When asked what placed him on the streets he paused, took a breath and then told me about the mother of his daughter. He told me that she died and between her death, medical bills and life, he could not afford what many of us would refer to as a regular life in a home or apartment.

Prior to living in Nashville, he lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. He accepted a job selling magazines which brought him to Nashville. The company failed to pay him for his efforts so instead of being on the streets of Little Rock, he is now on the streets of Nashville.

“Where are you living,” I asked. He then told me that he sleeps on cardboard in different areas with his girlfriend. The two support each other enough to purchase food, but that’s about all they can currently afford.

“All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.” - Helen Keller

The Kidney Donation

What is the definition of a hero? Good question. The Webster Dictionary defines a hero as “A person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.”

Today I met 24 year old Benito Cabrera, who is a graduate of Siegel High School in Murfreesboro, TN. He told me that he will be donating his kidney to his younger sister Jasmine Goolesby on May 17, 2016. Evidently, other family members and friends were not a match.

Cabrera stated, “I’ll be donating my kidney to my sister and helping her enjoy her young life. She’s 23 years old. Everywhere she goes people talk to her and ask her about her sickness. She’s real open about it. She’s really happy as a person, even to this day. She is also doing dialysis three times a week, about 6 to 7 hours a day, but somehow works around it working 40 plus hours a week.”

As the kidney donation date nears, Cabrera and his sister are trying to raise enough money to cover expenses while in the hospital and while in recovery and unable to work. If you want to help, visit GofundMe.com/jewfz82c. 

I would say that Benito Cabrera matches the definition of a hero. 

Was it a good night?

It was a good night. Or, Mack the Knife struck again.

Oh, the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear
And it shows them pearly white
Just a jackknife has old MacHeath, babe
And he keeps it, ah, out of sight
Ya know when that shark bites with his teeth, babe
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves, oh, wears old MacHeath, babe
So there's never, never a trace of red

Now on the sidewalk, huh, huh, whoo sunny morning, un huh
Lies a body just oozin' life, eek
And someone's sneakin' 'round the corner
Could that someone be Mack the Knife?

- Bobby Darin, "Mack the Knife" 1959 (My favorite version).
- Louis Armstrong sang the song in 1956.

But, the song came first in 1929. It premiered in Berlin in 1928 at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm.

More details? "The Ballad of Mack the Knife", originally "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer", is a song composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their music drama Die Dreigroschenoper, or, as it is known in English, The Threepenny Opera.

The Whistle Blower

She was working hard to make a sale. Everyone she saw with blonde hair or a fair complexion was a target to buy a hand carved whistle. She had an entire basket of whistles that she would blow from time to time to attract attention of prospects.

“I made these,” she said in a thick accent on the streets of Masaya, Nicaragua. Each of the whistles was delicately painted, no two looked alike.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas A. Edison

Meet Moon Cricket

I asked him about the tattoo under his left eye and he laughed a little before saying, “Growing up, a lot of my friends were black and my mom use to always call me Moon Cricket, which is derogatory, so one night I got the tattoo of a moon just to show mom.”

The term moon cricket came about during slave times. When African American slaves finished doing their daily chores or work on the farm, they would often go outside and sing under the moonlight. Some say they sang like crickets under the moon. Thus the term moon crickets.

He told me, “We are headed to Colorado by train, they have the best weed, medical grade.”

Street Photography After Dark

It is always interesting, the people who look as if they could be the darkest or scariest always have a soft side if you catch them in the moment.

The lights of downtown Nashville lit his face as he played with the puppy. “We just got to Nashville from Indiana,” he told me. “We love Nashville,” talking about himself, the puppy and his girlfriend. "We hop trains," he told me with a smile. 

“A tattoo is a true poetic creation, and is always more than meets the eye. As a tattoo is grounded on living skin, so its essence emotes a poignancy unique to the mortal human condition.” ― V. Vale

Life on a Farm in a Third World Country

On a Costa Rican farm.

“Good farmers, who take seriously their duties as stewards of Creation and of their land's inheritors, contribute to the welfare of society in more ways than society usually acknowledges, or even knows. These farmers produce valuable goods, of course; but they also conserve soil, they conserve water, they conserve wildlife, they conserve open space, they conserve scenery.” ― Wendell Berry

Weaving masterpieces of art with leaves

She was maybe 13 years old at the most and she loved art. Quietly, she would find somewhere in the shade to sit and weave grasshoppers, hearts, crowns, and more with dried strands of coconut palm fronds. A frond is the leaf like section of a palm or similar plant.

She was a master at weaving the long leaves into shapes of all sizes. She never asked for a single penny, but instead picked out women passing by to hand them to as a decoration for their hair or shirt. She would hand them her creation with a huge smile. 

Child playing as parents work for food

She was quietly playing in a small alley as her parents were working hard to make a living for the young family. Her mother and father were selling good in the market while their daughter kept busy. 

"There is no substitute for hard work." - Thomas A. Edison