The President's half Irish, dude, wear something green

On Sundays outside groups come in and serve the afternoon meal.  I hung around, met the nice church folks who had brought in the boiled hams and stuff for a salad and then I went up to the sweltering third floor and finished Leon Uris's 'Exodus'.  I exclaimed to Stergio, the Greek dude who lives in the house and spends all his time in the bakery, of my desire to go to Israel.  There's an energy there, unlike the eastern side of the world, that beckons me.  I didn't tell him of potentially imminent plans to return to the middle east because frankly I don't know if it is going to happen.  I like this city and what it has to offer but truth be told, I'm bored.  I spoke to a few about returning to school, finding a job in the evening, ya da ya da, to keep me occupied.  Right now, I have no responsibilities on the weekend, something I ought to be thankful for but hey when you got no money options are limited.  

This evening sitting outside in the garden Joseph explained to me his situation.  Tomorrow I will go with him and Tom to meet someone who may be able to give Michelle Obama his letter.  Joseph's story is somewhat complicated, but he came to the states in 1998 from Liberia and was denied asylum for reasons Joseph, without a lawyer, couldn't convince the authorities.  His family had been murdered and hey, that's' good enough for me let him stay in the country.  Who the hell wants to live in a shit hole where murdering people is like going to the supermarket.  

In 2003 Joseph had a stroke and for the last eight years has lived at St. Joes.  He works at Walmart, he has a social security card, and he has an employment card, which expires in December.  The INS informed him a few months ago he has to leave in September of this year.  It is doubtful he would be able to find the medications he is on now in Liberia.  While I have only known him for two weeks he is a personable fellow, and while he can be difficult to understand because of his accent (I'll offer him accent reduction lessons if I decide to stay here) the chance to present his case in the form of a letter to the President's wife, who is in town tomorrow to introduce someone, I told Joseph getting this letter into the right hands is a connection that may expedite his case.

"Wear something green, her husband is half Irish."