By: Yeni Alvarez*

Getting old is not what you expected.  No one wants to end up on the street holding a sign asking for work.  No one ever thinks it will happen to them or to someone they love.  But it happened to William.
William Demetriades is 81 years old and still looks for work on the corner of Lincoln and Venice Blvd in Venice, CA.  You can see his bright orange cap and his dark blue jacket from the opposite corner as you drive by.  He’s always smiling and waving his sign hoping someone will slow down and read it.   His right eye is almost closed but you can still see the blue gleam in his right one when he speaks.
I first saw William last year as I headed to work and slowed down to read his sign.  By the time I drove back to take him up on his offer, he was gone.  Someone else read it too.
Six months went by and every time I passed that corner I looked for that little old man on the side of the gas station asking for yard work.   Today I saw him again, and turned around to help.
I found out William gets $554 from social security and this barely covers rent.  His room comes with unwanted visitors like the spiders or insects that bite his face when he sleeps. A closer look shows the evidence of this.  The room does not include a shower, however, his clothes are very clean and neat. This surprised me, even as he kept insisting he wanted to shower, since he looked like he’d taken one already.
He kept a safe distance from the car and spoke in a soft voice.  His eyes shined at the hope of a job offer.  He explained that he needed extra money for groceries, which he buys at Ralphs because they give him a discount.
He’s asking for someone to rent him a room for about $450 and if you or anyone you know has any yard work, labor, landscaping, William’s landscaping tools are ready,  in a carry-on luggage by the side of the street.
He also has about 10,000 self-help books he’d like to sell for $1 each to raise money to live.
I gave him the money I had with me, a simple $52 that will help keep him safe and fed for a day, and buy me some time until I figure out how best to help him.
When you’re in Venice, CA, if you happen to drive by that corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd, slow down and read the sign.  If, behind the sign, blue eyes pop up under an orange cap, be nice to him, he only hopes you’ll offer him some work.
William was someone’s child and maybe someone’s father.   If this happened to your dad, wouldn’t you want someone to help him?

One act of kindness a day will someday save the world.

*If you’d like to contact William, please email me at diva@travelingdiva.com

*www.TravelingDiva.com