Marlene sad news homeless, aging, vicious cycles

I spoke with Marlene today.  She hugged me.  She was wearing shorts with a stain on them.  Her breath smelled of alcohol.  I asked her if she was drinking and she said last night.

I can't express what bad news this is that she is back at the park, drinking.

I asked her if she could contact her family for help.  I gathered she could call in an emergency.

I feel badly for her family.  I know from dealing with Jim Mosaic Man Power that helping means he will strike out at you -- if not physically most certainly verbally as well as lying and being very destructive.  I can only guess Jim treated his family the way he treated me.

Homelessness, aging, and other issues like drinking etc. which can add to vicious cycles that need breaking and treatment.

Aging they are just getting worse.

I agreed to buy her breakfast but sadly the more we talked the more verbally violent she got threatening to punch me in the face.  Sober and lucid she is a good soul but drunk or coming off being drunk she is abusive and can get physical.   She deserves compassion not being demonized especially by ignorant racist people that seem very sick and photographing her topless when drunk out of her mind  or  other homeless men(?) having sex with her seem like more forms of abuse and exploitation of a homeless and mentally ill person struggling,  in my opinion.

You can't force someone to go in to rehab.  Today she would not even consider rehab.

You can't force someone to take shelter or housing.   I know she has been offered all of the above.

The city has failed her as well and there is nothing that can be done.

I will call Beth Israel.  I got the names of Phoenix House and Day Top as well to call and see if they have ideas but you can't force her to take housing or shelter that she refuses and or medical care.

Note: 1:29 Sunday called and left a message with the social worker dept.  at Beth Isreal that works with homeless.

I left a detailed message and they  should call me back this week.


She needs rehab and she needs to stay away from the park and deep down she knows this because in sober moments she has said this herself.

She just seems to be getting worse.

Karl was back visiting today.  I didn't get a chance to say hello but he has shelter now and has cut down on drinking although sadly he still does drink.



I called 311 for help but all they can do is put me through to a group that would drive by and offer her shelter.  She would most likely say no so their seemed like little point.

The sad part is it is not the NYPD's job but the city of New York and perhaps the USA have failed the homeless people that most especially are mentally ill and also addicted.  There has to be a better way to help people but there are no easy answers and it is not black and white.  I know the 9th has found housing and she refused it.

Any amazing activist with Cooper Square got Jim Power housing but he too refused it.

No easy answers just sad and angry causalities that don't want help and sooner or in some cases much later it means prison, hospital or psych ward.

I spoke to my MD about Marlene and Jim and she said they need trained professionals.  Well where are they?