Even the three steps leading into The Captain's Quarters has people sleeping on them. Well, one shirtless guy is sitting up drinking a Poweraid staring off into space.
The two benches in front of Bernie's are also occupied. One by another shirtless guy and the other by a girl fast asleep wearing a sun dress with one leg hiked over the back of the bench. Five crew members of the Department of Public Works were giving extra attention to cleaning up the area around her bench.
My bicycle rolls on down street, which is located between 15th and 17th Street but for some inexplicable reason is called Tybrissa. At the end is a crosswalk to the beach and it too is completely occupied by a group of people wearing the same colored tee shirts.
Coasting to a stop I see they are missionaries from South Carolina. Yellow shirts proclaim in black "Jesus road trip to Savannah, Tybee Island and Jekyll Island." Who knew there was such a large concentration of unsaved heathens in these places? They are praying loudly so I peddle on to the Pier.
Have you ever been under the Pier?
I spent 30 years working with homeless people and watched them create elaborate homes out of cardboard, plastic and other people's garbage. I've been to tent cities across the street from the street from the White House. It was fabulous with matching white sheets perfectly pitched in neat rows. I've visited the communities under the bridges of cities throughout this great nation and am proud of America for building so many bridges so people can have a roof over their head!
BUT, that's nothing compared to what goes on under the Pier!
Holy Jesus there must have 300 people living in tiny little segregated communities down there! And they all seemed to be sectioned off according to lineage.
The brown people originating from Mexico had grills smoking under the main portion of the Pier. In front of them were the black people originating from Africa who were sitting in chairs placed in a circle and quietly reading the Bible. In front of them, nearest the water, were the white people originating from South Carolina, smoking cigarettes and drinking beers, throwing the bottles on the beach while having sex.I contemplated introducing them to the missionaries from South Carolina but try to stay away from religious squabbles.
Tooling on down through the 14th Street Parking lot, I stopped with my back to the ocean so I could face of the couple of hundred balconies of The Ocean Plaza. The liberal media reported on FOX NEWS that smoking has dropped to 18% of the U.S. population.
They were evidently having a convention at The Ocean Plaza!
If you've never visited the 14th Street parking lot, turned your back to the ocean and stared at the couple of hundred balconies of The Ocean Plaza ... well ... boy are you missing out on some sensory overload! Every single aspect of life takes place simultaneously in front of your very eyes.
I threw up in my mouth a little and kept on peddling.
The sidewalks were also filled with people unable to find a place. Shuffling their feet with blank stares they seem to just be wandering up and down Butler Avenue wearing the same clothes they wore yesterday. My friend and partner Sean McNally reminds me that Georgia produces more Zombies than any other state. They are all on the sidewalks of Butler Avenue right now.
But it's a beautiful day. Miles and miles of clear blue sky. Calm ocean and the water is warm. Soft sand with a lite breeze. Beers are chilled and rum is on ice. It's a perfect beach day!
It's a shame there's no room for you here.
