Carlos also called after hours asking for food. Carlos is not his real name. Carlos is a young black man in his twenties. He said he was living in his car in the Little League field down the street from our Pantry and hadn’t eaten in two days. We got up and found his bright yellow Mazda under some trees near the park. He said he had no blanket and it was extremely cold that night so I took him one. We also took him some ready made meals and he ate them cold as he told us his story. Carlos is the run from a gang in his hometown somewhere in Alabama. As he chewed Carlos said something about drugs and how he just left because they were looking for him. We told him we would help get him work to put gas in his car.
The next morning he walked up on the property and we were blown away by his work ethic. We were so impressed we sent him to a sheet metal business down the street and they hired him on the spot. We kept up with Carlos for a few weeks after that. He would come by and get food and told us he was no longer was sleeping in the car. Carlos said a coworker had taken him in but he was about to move into his own room at a house nearby. We were so glad for him. Then for about 6 months we heard nothing. It was like he disappeared off the face of the earth.
We answered a call and to our surprise it was Carlos. He said he moved to the Westside of town and just didn’t call. He sounded like he was in a bad situation again but his pride didn’t let him ask for help that day. We haven’t heard from Carlos since. I hope he didn’t get with the drug gangs on the Westside! We wish we could end all these stories with a great ending. So far if we give you a hand up it is your responsibility to stay up and not go back to the gutter. Carlos knows he was loved and he found people who cared for him in his distress. That alone is our consolation.
(not actual name or picture)