caring for neighbors

loathing rfk

I did some interviews today 
As my documentary 
UNLEASHING HOPE 
Is now streaming on Hulu

Its about autism service dogs 
How profoundly KUMA
has changed my childs life 
As well as my own 

3 years ago clay started retreating 
Into herself 
Not wanting to leave the house 
Or to interact with anyone but me 

Or their I pad 
She fell in love with object shows
And spent all free time 
Memorizing episodes of BFDI 

We were sharing a home 
But she chose to be by herself
Isolating in her room 
Which left me worried and lonely

Around this time 
I befriended Lyle Menendez 
Who had been in prison for decades 
I had always felt for the brothers 

Knowing there was truth 
To their tales of abuse 
I remember watching lawyer Leslie A
With awe and respect 

As she tried to convince a public 
Unwilling to accept 
The horrors some men perpetrate 
On their own children 

Lyle reached out to me in 1996
But we didn’t connect for 30 years 
It was only after a new documentary about them 
That moved me to make a tiktok 

About how important the new facts 
Involving their case were 
His wife Rebecca called me 
Soon after so did Lyle 

We spoke for hours that first time 
Which was mothers day 
And then often after that 
We connected in a real and true way 

That changed and healed me 
I did not expect this 
He is loving kind intelligent and caring 
Introspective and sensitive 

He helped me with my concerns about clay 
Listened when I cried 
Offered support and care 
And unconditional love 

Its hard to explain how much 
the experience of getting KUMA 
Is tied to him 
His encouragement and patience 

Guide Dogs of America 
Is a non profit charity 
The service dogs are provided 
For free - completely free to all

The organization was started 
By the machinists union 
Whose member was denied a service dog 
Because he was too old 

They voted to open their own foundation 
To provide service dogs 
To those in need 
Minus the red tape 

And boy did they succeed 
A lifetime of service 
By a union of brothers and sisters 
Who take their family seriously 

I have had the privilege of meeting 
These amazing men and women 
Who have given so much 
To so many in need 

Like me and my child 
Who three years ago were suffering 
Although I had access to all available help 
That only privilege can bring 

I was unable to reach my child 
Who seemed to be fading into her own world 
How was it I never heard 
Of service dogs treating autistic children 

I met Russ Gilliten
Who ran GDA for so many years 
With his whole heart and soul 
And his whole family as well 

His son and wife work there 
And we all have become friends
They have given their lives to helping 
Anyone in need of a service dog

What a legacy 
I am lucky to know them all 
To be a member of their tribe 
To help in any way I can 

Bring the news of their program 
To as many people as I can 
So we can remember what its like 
To take care of our neighbors 

To help each other 
In America 
Because that is who we are 
Intrinsically

We took care of each other 
In Commack Long Island 1970s
Families moving into new affordable 
Suburban homes - with white picket fences 

With parks for little league 
With public school teachers 
who stayed after school 
To help the lost kids - like me 

my mothers friend Leonie
Who lived across the road 
At number 16 
And we at 17 

Fate brought us together 
The Nordins and the O’Donnells
The Ellards at 22 
11 kids between us 

They took care of us 
Motherless children from 17 
They fed us - cleaned us 
Held us - loved us 

We slept over 
We did holidays together 
5 almost orphans 
With nowhere to go 

No one asked who was gay 
Which one had better grades 
We were our own gang 
We had each others backs 

Leonie came over and sat with my Nana 
After her only daughter 
My mother - Roseanns death
Left her broken hearted 

I told Nana I loved her once 
Only once 
Ours wasn’t and I love u house 
Like jackies was 

The words stuck in my throat 
As nana lay in a bed 
In huntington hospital 
The same place my mom died 

She was dying too
I was off to college 
I didn’t know if I would see her again 
I love u nana 

Came out of my mouth 
Much to my surprise 
And hers 
She said I love u too Roseann 

And it makes me cry to type it 
Memories flooding back to me 
Here in ireland 
Of my childhood

Leonies husband Howie 
Died last week 
After a long and loving life 
My heart breaks for her 

Her children and grandchildren 
And my brother Eddie 
Who is also her child 
In every way that matters 

They will bury Howie in the same 
Gravesite where my mother lies 
I went to visit her there
When I got my drivers license at 16 

So scared and alone 
Too afraid to be vulnerable 
In front of another human being
I stared at my own name on her tombstone 

And I cried 
I understood for the first time 
That she was not just away 
But actually there in the soil 

Dead 
Deceased 
Passed away 
Gone

Its amazing what a childs mind will do 
So as not to accept 
The painful truths of
Their lives 

Speaking of painful truths 
Robert Kennedy sickens me 
His “disease registry” 
To track Americans with autism …

WTF 
 
Remember the nazis 
Came for the disabled first 
How dare he 
How fucking shameful 

I hope to never see him in person 
As I don’t know that I would be able 
To contain my disgust with everything 
He claims to stand for 

May brighter minds prevail 
More unselfish souls rise to power
May this administration be done with 
As soon as possible 

Peace out - resist fascism 
Speak out 
Protect those in need 
Open ur hearts to each other 

Im off to a pub for a pint 
With my autistic child 
Who is a human with as much value 
As any of us 

God bless