Top O'the Muffin To Ya

I hadn't been regularly in NYC, especially hanging around eighth avenue, in the thirties, in around two years. We're in the city for auditions weekly, but we're in and out. The area I just mentioned is where E's acting class is located. On eighth ave, between thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth streets. I was there almost every Saturday or Sunday, during the school year, from 2013 through 2016. I would see random homeless people here and there, closer to Penn Station, but not like the epidemic it looks like now! I even took some pictures because I didn't know if anyone would believe me. I think you need to see it to really feel how messed up it is that this is how people have to live.

Most people don't realize that it's not just as cut and dried as poor choices. There is mental illness, addiction, and other reasons that people are down and out and this is their only option. I don't really care WHAT got them there, E and I care that they ARE there and we feel a responsibility as humans to do SOMETHING. We may not be able to do a lot, but we can do more than just step over them.

When we get there, no matter where I park, I'm seeing full on mattresses on the sidewalk, homeless of all ages, sizes, colors, ethnicities, at varying stages of deteriorating mental health or drug abuse. It's hard to walk by people with signs saying, "Help me", with my eight year old child, who thinks we should all contribute to buying them homes, without doing something. #bornsocialist

Years ago, I think I even wrote about this- I saw one of those tv shows, like Undercover Boss, but not that, where a millionaire would go into a depressed area for a week, listen to people's stories, then give people in the community money to do good with it. On one episode, there was a guy who made "blessing bags" and gave them out to the homeless. These are small bags with trial size necessity toiletries, socks, change, etc. After I saw this, I started making these bags. I don't use the word "blessing" because as an affirmed atheist, I'm just uncomfortable using that word. I don't like it. Whatever. They're bags of useful stuff for people who have nothing.

I'd amassed a lot of hotel samples and also the ones from magazine ads/coupons. I don't know why- I never go anywhere I'd need trial sizes. In my mind, I might. Anyone that knew Rita, knew that she was a hoarder. B would claim that I'm one as well. But anyone who knew my mother could attest that I am nowhere NEAR that level. #shehad100000vhstapes

I keep these bags in my car and when I see someone on the street, on Rt 46, in Paterson, wherever, I stop my car and hand them out. I only have two bags left. Of course I went overboard and went rummaging through my house for more things. Each bag has most of the following items: scarf, hat, gloves, socks, protein bar, shampoo, conditioner, hand/body lotion, travel toothbrush, toothpaste, four quarters, and other random things. Some have a tampon, some BB cream, and other sample items. Like I said, I'm down to two bags like that. Then I made some small Ziploc bags of just two or three granola or protein bars, a one time use shampoo & conditioner set from magazines, and a bag of Halloween pretzels. It never feels like enough though.

E has class now from twelve-thirty until three o'clock. His acting school is Actor's Technique NY otherwise known as ATNY. They've paid it forward to us, in many ways, over the years and I can't thank them enough. They've allowed him to come to class and workshops for free, for a discount, and on payment plans when I haven't been able to swing it. They helped him get an agent, then when dropped by said agent, picked up by a new manager. They've coached him and made him better at the craft of acting. We are very grateful for them.

I also feel like he's a lucky kid to even be able to take acting classes. We're not on the street. If he's going to be in class for two and a half hours, I may as well be productive instead of sitting on my behind just playing on the internet. I can also use the steps (walking). During his class, I walk outside the front door and there are numerous homeless people within spitting distance. I walk up and down from thirtieth street to fortieth street between seventh, eighth and ninth avenues and just hand stuff out. Trust me when I say I've learned that the smaller bags are a lot easier to trek around with. I was sweating last week with what I brought with me.

I stopped in this place that looked new-ish, called Market Crates. The address is 224 W. 35th St. It's like a healthy food store but not overly healthy where it's out of my comfort zone. They still have muffins and desserts and such. Their tagline on their menu is "Greens & Grains, Responsible". I went in to get a salad. I ended up talking to Elona, who was ringing me up, who is a cute young girl who I believe is originally from Kosovo. I mentioned what I was doing with the bags and she immediately smiled and asked if I wanted more stuff. I asked what she had because I really was loaded up like a pack mule. She had muffins that I guess they'd be throwing out at day's end. I asked her if I could wrap them individually, because it seemed weird to just hand out uncovered muffins. And what if they wanted to save it for later?

She asked her manager (I think that's who it was) and they set me up at a table, with the big Saran Wrap cutter, and just let me wrap the twenty or so muffins, of all kinds, they had to give. I wrapped, thanked them, and went on my way. #justcallmethemuffinlady

They're super nice in there, so I'll be going back there to get my weekly Big Salad. In NYC, trust is hard to come by. I could've been out selling the muffins on the corner and they'd never know. For people to just give you anything is rare.

Of course there are also those "Only in NY kids, only in NY" Cindy Adams moments too, like the week before, when I handed a lady in a wheelchair a bag of healthy snacks, she looked it over, looked back at me and said, "I don't like it, but I'll take it....". To which, I just laughed and told her to have a nice day, because it totally was a Cindy Adams moment for my archives. The people I handed the muffins to were super thankful though. One guy even told me he loves me.

I'm writing this not for accolades or not to illustrate that an atheist can do just as much good as those who pray to a God, but to let you know that I'm almost out of stuff. If you unnecessarily collect trial size toiletries, feel like going to the dollar store and/or ripping samples out of magazines, and making some of the smaller bags - I'll take them if you want to drop off to me, or if you're nearby for me to pick up. I use Ziplock or whatever kind, quart or sandwich size bags, just not the fold over kind. I like the bags to close. And then any of the above things I mentioned, you can put in the bags and I'll take them when I go on Saturdays.