Disasters come in all shapes and sizes...

The question was posed,"What good could you possibly do?" A little more than might be contained in a well intended word, I would say. I am not asking for a paid job. I don't feel it is necessary to present C.V.'s to all and sundry. I am a carpenter and a gardener, wih one or two more skills I've tied on to my belt over my lifes journeying. I have tried to raise the cost of a ticket in London, the small milking pail came away with the contents resembling a waste bin. Disaster. Most occasions that I attempted to busk I was faced with officials and security "Jobs worth " syndrome. "You can't do that here". So where?
Arty Party Squat land? All promises turned to dust the moment I arrived. They don't do what they say on the tin. Clubland failed. It wouldn't have taken much to make a small announcement on the stage and pass the bucket around. They don't seem there to cater for that. A week of speaking to clubbies made me feel glad I don't do that.It would take something akin to an earthquake to shake London out of it's torpor of indifference.
Haiti is in crisis. Port au Prince has just lost over a quarter of a million people. The survivors are traumatised and need moral support as well as practical assistance.
Reconstruction needs skilled people. I watched as two well meaning lads set about hanging a new firedoor for the Passing clouds club. I am glad I took the time to learn.I left them struggling, at least one of them I dare to venture was getting paid for the work. I was making ready my return to France neither enough time to tutor them nor do the job myself. I would feel better placed as one unit of experienced manpower in Port au Prince @Zero % commission than jobbing and begging in the crumbling pleasure domes of Britain. Britain is I am informed short of 2500 workers for it's Olympic village. It is a real pity it trained it's youth to be hair dressers and pop stars. Hardly a world priority.
By next week I will have completed my winter digging here in Le Breil. I will be some way forward on the planting and sowing. The round house can wait. My son Toby tells me he will be here in a few days with his amp and "Triangla", it is hoped we will do a little better on the streets of Renne than I did in London. Regardless of the results of my appeal for funds I am assured that I will be going, even if it means sponsoring my ticket from our part time minimum wage. My food budget whilst I am there will also come out of our own domestic income.
My son informed me of the Google page that was set up after my departure from London. A well meant piece of electronic scribble. It blows my modest trumpet a little too hard methinks. I would rather blow my own.
This is a demure action ,not intended to displace anyone from their own executive responsibilities with what may at first glance seem to be imported grandiose gestures.
What can one person do in the wake of so much damage and heart break. The first few weeks will be spent fact finding. Barring my food that part will cost nothing. Photos and reportage of any good news on the ground will be transmitted to the web.
I haven't met "D's" Mam and Granny yet. I have yet to see if my own offer of help will be well recieved. If there is land fit for cultivation, I am told there is, much can be done with a hoe and a spade. If there is more than one body available for manual work I can't see much beyond the arduous rigours of labour that could impede the proposed work. It is not my land I merely respond to the needs , "D" has familial interest, I will not be moving unless after consultation she is smiling in approval.
I hear there is a food shortage. The cynical response I got from folk in London that "They don't need people like you, they need nurses." I nearly laughed. Whether sick or healthy everyone needs food or no work is possible. For best economy, home grown over imported.
My onion bed is ready for planting now. I will take time off from this typing to prepare a bit more of my own mud patch. But first a well placed egg sandwich and a steaming mugga.
I will be bringing vegetable seeds to Haiti, they too will be provided from our own meagre funds. I wont be waiting for a Geldof or Bono style aid circus.
What's to do here? Innoculations ,I will have to pay for them privately, the rest of my ticket and seed money. Not an impossible task. I am halfway there. I have my spade and my hoe. Whatever else good may come of this action will have to get in line I have yet to hit the ground running. I have the will. I will find a way.