Long story while you sip your morning coffee.
We had dinner with some friends, here in Las Vegas, the other night. People we always enjoy seeing due to their general positivity above all else. Just good people! Their story, which I am sharing, is a reminder of the fact that there are good people in this world… and I personally want those type of people in our lives!
Oh ya, Kitty Kat suggested I provide a summary but I just don’t have it in me. Sorry!
So our friends live part of the year in Los Angeles and part of the year in Las Vegas. They live in a very nice building on the strip. I went to a small cars and coffee event at their building last year and let me say the garage in their building could be a car museum! Some jaw dropping nice cars in there… and just above or outside that garage are homeless people barely surviving. It’s the world we live in!
Living on the Strip Jack and Jill walk their dog, right there amongst the tourists, a few times a day. Through that they have gotten to know many of the regular homeless, street performers, and others who call the Strip home. Effectively these people are their neighbors.
At dinner Kitty Kat asked them if they have saved any dogs lately as last year they helped save a dog that had belonged to a homeless person. I believe that story probably ended up with multiple thousands of dollars spent by them between vet bills and other assorted things but they got the dog into a stable home with a loving owner. It was a great story too but this new one is fresh in my mind and this one comes with two short videos that I will include if I figure out how. I asked if I could share the story, photos and videos as to not embarrass Jack and Jill as they don’t seek the spotlight for being the good people they are.
The homeless guy in this story goes by the name of Brick and his dog is named Jessica. Our friends, for anonymity, will be called Jack and Jill.
Brick is a homeless guy who sings songs on one of the overpasses along the strip. Let’s say near the corner of the Strip and East Harmon to give you some idea geographically where you might find him. From what Jack can tell he doesn’t believe Brick has a substance abuse problem but he thinks Brick may be slightly impaired in terms of his mental capabilities. Beyond that, apparently he is a very bad singer but he sings songs and people give him money. He has told Jack his goal is to earn $100-$150 a day so that he can go stay at the Motel 6. As Jack understands it Brick spends upwards of $3k a month on housing in this fashion. Obviously there are cheaper alternatives but Brick is of limited overall mental capabilities in addition to very limited financial management skills. So Brick goes out each day to perform, make his money, take the bus to the Motel 6, and rinse and repeat the next day….
On a recent day Jack was out walking their own dog when he saw a group of police officers around Brick and Jessica on Brick’s overpass. Jack went up to see what was going on. It turns out Brick had an outstanding warrant due to a $100 ticket for performing without a license that he had never paid. Everything, including street performers, get a license in Vegas! Unfortunately, due to this warrant the officers were arresting Brick. Jack, due to his background, is very respectful of the officers doing their job but asked what would happen to Jessica while Brick was in jail and they told him Jessica would be taken to the county pound. Being a dog lover Jack asked if he could take Jessica for safekeeping. The officers and Brick were agreeable so Jack took Jessica back to his condo. Luckily for Jack he is married to a wonderful, and equally giving person in, Jill and I am sure she was welcoming to Jessica being in their condo for a day or two while Brick sorted out his legal affairs. Apparently they do have court 7 days a week in LV, normally, to handle these type of matters but this was a three day weekend and even Judges get vacations so there was no court for a few days.
Unfortunately Jessica did not get along with Jack and Jill’s dog so their own dog was cowering out of the way… all the while Jessica was peeing and pooping all over their luxury condo! After a night it was clear they needed to do something so Jack went to the jail and bailed Brick out as that seemed like the best solution. Jack said it was only $150 but, of course, Brick didn’t have $150 lying around to bail himself out! The video is after Jessica and Brick were reunited after Brick’s time in jail. However, the story doesn’t end there! In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if there are future chapters to this story but for today here are the chapters written so far….
Jack went back to his condo and Brick went back to work singing on his overpass, so he could make his money to take the bus back to the Motel 6… and on and on it would go. It turns out in the past Jack and Jill have bought Brick a small dog enclosure to keep Jessica safe from the elements on nights they did not make it to the Motel 6 so they have been trying to help Brick and Jessica for a while. At some point Jack and Brick exchanged phone numbers. Jack shared with me some very difficult to decipher texts that Brick had sent him. We assume Brick was using voice to text in asking Jack for help. Essentially Brick uses an amplified speaker so more people can hear his singing to boost his earnings. As Jack said it is possible people give him money just in hopes he’ll stop signing as, previously mentioned, he is apparently not so great. Unfortunately someone stole his speaker and he reached out to Jack for help.
Before I go on let me say that Jack and Jill live life without the levels of flash that their wealth could easily afford. Yes, they own homes in very nice areas of LV and LA but they dress just like you and I, there are no fancy “signs” of wealth like designer purses or anything like that, and their daily driver is an almost 15 year old Honda Odyssey! Now, it turns out Jack has a penchant for fancy cars and he might have a few super cars in his garages… but you wouldn’t know it meeting them as he isn’t going to tell you about it until you are good friends! They are much more likely to tell you about their wonderful kids or interesting experiences they have encountered in life.
So, back to Brick needing a new speaker. Brick, Jessica and Jack jumped into the old Honda Odyssey and headed to Guitar Center. Brick mentioned to Jack that the Bose speaker is pretty nice… a definite upgrade from the one that had been stolen… and what the heck, Jack has a soft spot for Brick and Jessica, so why not!? Jack bought Brick the Bose speaker and off they went so Brick could get back to work. Oh ya, before that I should add that Jessica was peeing all over the Guitar Center store and security told them they had to get the dog out of there! I can just picture Jack, the homeless guy, the dog peeing everywhere… we really need more pictures and videos for this story next time!
Sometime shortly thereafter, I am not sure if days or weeks later, Brick sent a long and confusing text to Jack that apparently the Bose speaker had now been stolen. To be clear Jack is highly intelligent, is extremely worldly, and understands he might be being played here. However, he can afford it, obviously is a kind person, so off he went… back to Guitar Center to buy another speaker for Brick. Jack proudly delivered a speaker on wheels that he thought Brick would really like due to its mobility but Jack felt Brick gave him only a luke-warm thank you upon delivery. Nonetheless Brick took the speaker so he could get back to work.
A day or two later Brick sent another text telling Jack that the speaker just wasn’t right and wondering if Jack could get him a different one. So, Jack packed up the speaker on wheels, threw it into the Honda, and back he went to Guitar Center to exchange for a different one that Brick wanted. Not the Bose one and not the one on wheels but a nice amplified speaker nonetheless. Jack delivered it within the last few days and we are pretty much up to date on the story. Hopefully Brick is making his money, getting to the Motel 6 each night, and hopefully he and Jessica are as safe as they can be under the circumstances.
Oh ya, yesterday Jack bought a chain lock and will deliver that to Brick today so hopefully Brick won’t get his speaker stolen again!
Not sure how to end this story for today. The reality is the vast majority of people who live in Jack and Jill’s building can easily afford to spend the money that Jack and Jill have to help Brick and Jessica. However, far beyond the money is the love and care that they have displayed toward this human and his canine companion. Whatever the backstory is Brick has ended up at a place in life where daily survival is all he can hope for. People like Jack and Jill help, without judgement, to make the Brick and Jessicas of the streets a little safer in the big bad world we live in.
There are good people in this world and I challenge Kitty Kat and myself and all of you to do your little part to help make it a better place! Let’s all be Jack and Jills this holiday season and always!
Brick and Jessica reuniting after his short stint in jail. Thank you Jack and Jill for helping this man and his dog!
