For Better or For Worse

"They can't" I yell it so loud my voice cracks. He goes through his notes without looking up at me.

"I don't know what to tell you Darling." He says. "Just because Darling's my name doesn't mean you get to call me by it." I shout.

"You can't kick them out of their homes!" He chuckles under his breath. "They don't have homes Darling." He says "They're trespassing on private property. Do you think that old geezers gonna let them stay much longer? It's for their own good, I don't want someone to get shot."

"Then give them homes!" I plead. "You know we don't have the money to house fifty people during these unprecedented times." I can feel my face burning. "Damn it John! Stop saying that!" I yell "You keep saying that! How can you not have enough money to help these people in need but you have enough money to knock down more buildings and make more people homeless!"

John brushes his beard. "You expect everything to stay the same don't you Darling?" He says "You expect me to keep this damn city in a time bubble huh? Preserve what little good people are left right?

"You keep coming to me every time we try to knock down a building or kick people out of buildings like I can do something about it." He says.

"And you keep denying help to these people John!" I plead "I'd sully my good name if it meant these people get help!" John laughs. "That's what I like about you." John says.

"I shouldn't be telling you this because your a little cooky in the head but, there are these annoying protesters marching up and down the walk of fame and I'm just thinking aloud here but I think you're the type to go and join them." He says. "Is this your way of being helpful?" I ask. "Yup." He says "Now get out of my office."

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Maybe I am a little crazy but I don't care. Everyone in Hollywood is crazy and that's what makes it so great. If people weren't crazy there wouldn't be people.

I'm marching up and down with a sign. The sign is written sloppy but it clear says "We need to wake up and realize some people aren't sleeping tonight!"

Everyone is marching around a good sized town of homeless people. Annoyed looking police watch without moving. The homeless people are crying thank you. There is a small child with a pink face. Since I'm a nurse I know at first glance that the kid is sick.

She coughs and sways like a old building about to fall down. I know what she has and I know she can't afford help.

I want people to change to keep this city the same. I don't want another building knocked down. I don't want these people to go to jail because I know they probably have done crimes to get out of homelessness and I won't stand for it.

"You're all crazy!" A policeman yells over the chanting "Why do I have to come down here every damn week to get signs out of your hands." One man tosses down his sign on the ground. "As long as you hold a gun we'll hold a sign!" He yells.

"Oh so now your riled up about my gun?" The policeman says "You people just don't quit!" My face is burning.

"These people need a hospital officer not the street!" I yell over the crowd "I won't just stand here as more people get kicked out of their homes! As more people get sick! I am a nurse officer what do you want me to do when every time I turn a corner I see another sick person who can't get help!"

"What do you want us to do!?" A policeman yells "We'll lose our jobs if we tell the station what we think their doing is wrong!" I can feel my fist raising slightly. "I don't care if I lose my job, my home, or my life!" I yell "I won't drop this sign until these people are off the street! So you can pull it out of my cold dead hands!"

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"Darling they didn't do it." John says. "Do what?" I ask. "They didn't knock down the building." John explains "Apparently your little speech got on the news. Now the station has got all of Hollywood biting at their heels."

I can hardly breath. "My boss just asked the force to stop the build and their going to make a place for those people to live. Not a homeless shelter mind you.

"What drives you I'll never know Darling." John says. "Thats easy." I say "I'm driven by the thought of creation and the action of believing."

"You're crazy, you should know." He says. "I do know." I say "Isn't that what's so great about it?" John laughs. "I guess." He says.

"My wife, Cathy, you know her right. Well my wife she nearly slapped me when she heard what happened. She said I was an idiot. She apparently supports you.

"I said 'Cathy you're pregnant you can't be running' but she ran all the way down to the station and demanded that they change. You should had seen their faces." John says with a chuckle.

I do know Cathy. She's a nurse also. I remember she had to take time off because she's pregnant.

"When was this?" I ask. "Two weeks ago, a week after your little speech." He says. "Wait has she had her baby yet?" I ask. "Yup." John says and starts to tear up " A beautiful baby boy named El. Poor buddy has cerebral palsy. There's no cure too."

"John..." I say "The world's changing. We're learning to except and help. Any day now I promise you someone's gonna come around the bend to help you. I promise there are angels in the world and I'll be here if you need me for better or for worse."