Catch 22 / Happy Father's Day

I'm still in Miami Beach. I thought I would have to go back to Key West in order to get my I.D. But as a stroke of rare luck happened, I didn't have to. The homeless helping place, which is not much help FINALLY saw me in park where I sleep and verified that I was homeless. They told me that there were no beds currently available, how convenient, and I told them my number one main concern was getting my identification and they said they could help me with that and told me to report to their office 555 17th St. to do an evaluation and intake (paperwork). So I went into the office the next day thinking they would get me an I.D. either that day or maybe the next. I was excited because I had received my unemployment check direct deposited into my checking account, my problem was, the catch 22, is I had to have I.D. in order to get money from the bank as I didn't have my ATM card. After my evaluation questionnaire, I waited out in the waiting room anticipating on getting my I.D. and the lady comes out and hands me a card with an appointment date of June 28th, 2012 and this was June 8th. They expected me to wait 20 days in order to get my I.D.!! Christ, I would starve to death before that happened!! And of course, that was their final answer and there is nothing more they could do. So I took the card and left disappointed and began to see what kind of options I had in order to get my I.D. sooner or get money out of the bank so I could pay for my bus fare and I.D. myself. I had money, I just could get to it. I have an acquaintance from K.O.T.S. in Key West who is staying in Miami Beach, Lefty, the one arm bandit, I mentioned him previously. I was searching the Wells Fargo website to see about ways to get money without an I.D. or ATM card and I came across a way to transfer money into a Bank Of America account from my Wells Fargo account and wooten you know it, Lefty had a Bank Of America account. So I had to walk from 22 St to 9th street to see if Lefty would be willing to let me transfer money into his account via the computer and then he could take the money out with his ATM card and I would pay him 10 bucks just to do that and he agreed. I thought, all I need is his account number, he had no problem with that and so he stayed at his shelter place while I walked back to the library to do the transaction. Of course, it was not that easy, I was having trouble doing the transfer. The computer wanted Lefty's mobile phone number or email address in which I had neither, so I called the bank and they informed me that that was the only way you could do a transfer to a Bank of America account. So frustrated, I ran (walked real fast) back to Lefty's place to get his cell phone number. I had to make it back to the library before it closed at 6pm. Lefty finally comes down from his room and I asked him for his cell phone number and he told me he didn't have a cell phone. But he did have one about a week ago because he gave Billy his cell number, I was there. I guess he was lying for some reason because after the fact he had a cell phone in the park the day after this incident. I guess he didn't want to make 10 bucks, I don't know or the phone is hot or something, whatever, it worked out. I went into Wells Fargo the next morning and explained my situation about losing my I.D. and ATM card and asked the lady if there was a way to verify who I am and thankfully there was a way. They just had to ask me a few questions that I should know the answers to and I got them all RIGHT!! So the teller gave me my money from my bank account and I went to the DMV to see if I could get an I.D. without a birth certificate. I mean what the hell, I was on a roll, let's push the envelope. And guess what? I got an I.D. without a birth certificate or anything. I just had to pay 25.00 dollars for the I.D. replacement card and wait for about 3 hours. Now how did I do that, you ask? Things that make you go hmmmmmm....Well apparently the powers that be at the Florida DMV came up with the amazing idea of storing your driver's license with picture and all in the wonderful world of computer technology so that when one does lose his or her license or I.D. your information and identifying picture is stored on the computer for future reference therefore eliminating the need for a birth certificate. Slowly but surely I am regaining all that I have lost. I now have a photo I.D. which help me get my food stamp card from the post office and I got a temporary ATM card and my social security card is on the way. Next step is to get a phone then some shelter (the shelters have been full in the Miami area) then get a J.O.B. I must say the Miami Beach cops have been very cool about people sleeping in the park, they just drive by on their ATV's and tell you you have to get up which is about 6 AM. It doesn't look good for the tourist to see people sleeping for free in the park while they pay ridiculous amounts of money for a hotel room although they do get amenities we homeless do not receive which would be a shower, toilet, T.V., room service or a dry place to sleep if it rains. O.K. enough of that rant..... I've been doing some research at the Main Library because they have telephone directories dating back as far as the 50's in which I was able to find a listing from 1969 for a golf driving range that apparently my father owned called Fred Sanders Driving Range which is at 1750 N.W. 28th Street in Miami. I'm no Sherlock Holmes but I put a few things together to determine my findings to be true and correct, to the best of my knowledge, of course. For one, my father's name was William Fred Sanders ( I also found out the date he died which was on October 10, 1970) For two, I remember my brother telling me that my father won the award for "Longest Drive of the South" in golf. I actually took the bus to that address and it looks like it was a driving range over 40 years ago, as it is now a huge open park with a baseball field included. While were on the subject and my memory still serves me correctly, I remember my mother telling me that professional golfer, Doug Sanders, is a cousin of mine, I don't know how distant. I actually somehow contacted his daughter through email and mention this mystery and she replied that he doesn't remember any connection due to his age......Happy Father's Day to all the Dads, I never got a chance to meet mine as he died from a gunshot trying to get into a cousin's house here in Miami when I was almost a year old, sorry I don't know much of the details. All I know from what my brother told me, the court deemed it a justified homicide. So please do not take your father for granted and cherish him everyday as I wish I had a chance but I never will get back my biological father. Fortunately, my mother remarried when I was 5 years old to a good man (tough as nails) and a great step father, Donald "Doc" MacDonald who past away in 2003. R.I.P......On a brighter note, I created yet another Twitter account in recognition of my new digs on the street in Miami Beach follow me @MiamiBeachBitch