I went into the Mansion this morning for my weekly story-telling session and ended up heading out on a three-hour shopping spree to get clothes, a small tv, a razor and blades, soap and deodorant and body wash, a Fly Fishing Vest, five DVD’s, and to distribute almost all of my remaining food gift cards, find a used and working Ipad and 125 pieces of bubble gum.

I’m also cranking up my efforts to get one of the Mansion aides to accept her doctor’s plea for a hip replacement. Her health insurance won’t cover it, and she is terrified of the financial obligations of being out of work for a long time.

Today, I hooked her up with a financial aid counselor at the Albany Medical Center

Over this past draining and lonely year, the residents – a lot of them are new – build-up needs and didn’t trust a stranger to help them.

I was a stranger to the newcomers, they didn’t know me, hadn’t met me, and couldn’t quite grasp the idea of the Army of Good. I’ve learned through my Mansion work that people won’t ask people they don’t trust for help.

They fear ridicule, rejection, dishonesty, hidden costs, disapproval, loss of pride. It takes a while to build trust.

The reading went well, there was a bigger crowd out in the hallway watching out for me.

I’m introducing and explaining myself one by one and bringing Zinnia with me, and she is a powerful charmer and trust builder.

Today, I was swamped with requests for help as I left the building. I stopped to see Chair, the Fish God, and we looked through catalogs for caps and vests and books he might like.

He loves the fly kit I got him.

I might end up on a fly fishing trek with Charlie soon, that would be a new experience for me, for sure. Charlie says he can teach me.

His fly fishing cap arrived today, I’ll bring it to him tomorrow.

Thanks for the letters many of you are sending him (CharlieFish God, The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., Cambridge, N.Y. 12816.) He talks about fly fishing day and night.

Bill has enormous needs.  He needed clothes and especially asked for a razor, blades, deodorant, and soap. He is humble, uneasy about asking for things, I could tell he was worried about asking for a razor. He finally blurted out that he really wanted a Gillette razor blade.

“I would hate,” he finally conceded, “to shave with a blade or razor of lesser quality.”  For a moment, he sounded like a member of the British Royal Family rather than a down-on-his-luck farmer.

I realized this was a dignity issue for him, he said his beard was rough and difficult to shave.

I went out and got him a new Gillette Razor and three months’ worth of blades. He said he was overwhelmed. He said he had never had more than a week’s worth of blades in his life. He was beaming with pride. Sometimes, people just need to be heard.

I got Bill some deodorant, soap and body wash.

I went to Carroll’s Garden and got six pairs of pants and five shirts and three sweatshirts for the two or three men at the Mansion who arrived recently with no or few changes of clothes.

I had to drive to three different stores to get a box of bubble gum for Ruth. As long as I’ve known Ruth, which has been for several years, she is almost always chewing on bubble gum.

All during the Covid-19 quarantine, she gave up her bubble gum habit. It was the last thing people worried about.

Ruth, who is not shy about asking for things, cornered me in the hallway. ‘You said two years ago that you would help me if I needed something.” Yes, I said, I did. What do you need?

(Above, Charlie’s New Fly Fishing Hat)

I was expecting a request for bras or clothes, she said she really needed some bubble gum. Okay, I said, it will be done. I had to finally get on Amazon to find a box of bubble gum, it isn’t for sale in my town. It’s coming tomorrow.

As I was nearing the door, a man rolled up to me in a wheelchair. He seemed hesitant about talking to me.

He said his name was “T—-.

One of the aides had steered him to me. She came over and said he was the only resident in the Mansion who didn’t have any sort of TV and because of his cataracts, he couldn’t read books.

“Is there any way you could find a used or old TV for him?,” she asked, uneasy. “He’s afraid to ask.” I walked over to him and bent down.

“I know what it means not to have a TV in here,” I said, “There’s a lot of empty time to fill.” We chatted for a while about other things, as I introduced myself, and also Zinnia, and then I asked him point blank:

“What kind of TV would you like, and he said “ok, the smallest one would do, maybe in color. It doesn’t have to be new. Is that possible?”

I have seen how lonely the Mansion can be at times, especially on rainy days or late at night when there is no TV to watch. It is not a frivolous request, and it is not about entertainment.

I’ve learned a lot about shopping online in recent years, I’m deadly on the computer:  there are some amazing bargains on Amazon if you have some time to browse around and know where and how to look.

I looked at some used TV’s for sale, but I don’t like to buy used electronics, there is almost always trouble with them sooner or later. If I got T a TV, it needed to work.

I lucked out, I found a TV for $109 marked down from $169. It’s new, 24″ inches and in color. I bought it and it is coming in three days. I called the aide and told her he could tell “T” that help was on the way, he was getting a TV.

She said he was crying and told  her to thank me.

Another aide contacted me about a broken seven-year-old Ipad, that was one residents’ primary connection with the outside world, with her friends and family, her daughters living far away. The Ipad was shot. Could I help?

As it happens, I could, a blog reader e-mailed my months ago offering me a used IPad in good shape that I could have for free if anyone in the Mansion needed one.

We couldn’t do this during Covid quarantining, but we can do it now. I messaged her (miraculous that I found the e-mail) and she had hung onto the Ipad in case we turned out to need it. That was pretty sweet. It’s on the way.

This turned out to be an unplanned for Mansion day, a roller coaster day of need and emotion. I have some more work to do, but I think everybody got what they needed and wanted.

I can’t wait to show charlie his new Fly Fishing hat. He will be very happy.

And yes, I could use some support. My head is spinning.

Via Paypal, it’s [email protected]; via Venmo, [email protected]. By check, Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. By check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O.Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

Small donations matter, as do larger ones.

I’m also running very low on Wal-Mart food cards. In fact, I have three left. You can purchase Wal-Mart gift cards in any amount here.

They go to three Mansion aides and now, three refugee families in Albany. That’s the lowest the help list has been in months, but the need is still real.

Please remember those over a certain amount – usually $300 –  must be activated by e-mail one or two days after purchase. You’ll get a message in the mail.

They must be sent to the farm: c/o Jon Katz, 2502 State Route 22, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

If you don’t wish to purchase them directly, you can send a donation to me and I will be happy to buy them: Jon Katz, via Paypal, [email protected], via Venmo, [email protected],  by check, Jon Katz, Mansion/Refugee Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.