As life would have it, the heater in my rented house went offline. And, my landlord? He moved slowly to repair the situation, and probably made things worse with a visit of likely unqualified repairmen. Before their arrival, turning on and off a emergency shut off switch of the heater in the basement eventually whirred the machinery. Flames. Fire. Heat. After they left? Nothing, well, actually furious sounds, roars, that signified nothing. So, this correspondence finds origination from the beautiful and toasty, Sam Naples Community Center, designated as a warming space during Code Blue weather situations. No pride here. Decades have passed since a downturn of life that included one year living inside a car. Imagine, residence in the back seat of a vehicle in the dead of winter, even a blizzard. Adversity frequently offers opportunities for people to move closer toward a higher power or select other means of existence or departure. So, this column appears as witness, as testimony, that a God exists in my life, so powerful, audaciously supernatural, and loving that no weapons formed against his will can ever enjoy victory. And, no security guard or person who appeared from an Sam Naples Center office to mince words yesterday, stands a chance against truth. A warming center should offer warmth, not the joust that occurred early on during a visit to Sam Naples for heat. Had to finish a column and several other articles and figured a visit to Naples offered a chance to witness Warming Center operations first hand. A discussion morphed into controversy as persons were unsure about hours of operation. There were no cursed words or disruptive behavior. People made phone calls, one to their supervisor. Did I intend to write an article about the warming center? Yes, probably since the world had delivered me here, a first-hand report of services, conditions, refreshments, and hopes for hot tea, coffee, even soup, sounded worthwhile. First, Sam Naples Communitg Center located at 611 Chestnut Ave. offers comfortable, clean conditions and refreshments from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. during weekends when weather conditions threaten safety. A person on one phone received instructions that questions were off limits to employees, senior guests, who enjoyed lunch and games of bingo, or others coming in from the cold. Discussions arose whether one person could be both resident and reporter simultaneously. A chilled ego dealt with the fact that several people in Sam Naples did not recognize me nor a familiar byline. It was a perfect disguise — just another Black man down on his luck, needing heat, and asking pertinent questions. A trump card needed playing and it got tossed into the fray with a phone call to the office of Mayor Reed Gusciora. An administrative assistant listened politely and attentively, understanding a main mission involved just staying warm for several hours. Her kindness rekindled memories of Milady Gonzalez, a former administrative assistant for Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer. Ms. Gonzalez remains a wonderful back-in-the-day recollection, smiling, positive, and, yes, protective always of Palmer. Mayor Gusciora phoned after leaving a meeting and heard no real details about the incident — only that issues had been resolved. He told a story about a Sam Naples’ reception and save of a city family down on their luck and in need of more than just heat. Another employee, who had been helpful after the early fray, continued a display of grace. “You doing okay there?,” she asked during a moment of my three-hour stay. The angel had offered snacks and made a cup of hot tea. Incredibly, no other persons visited during that time — only me and the heat. Most people will never need use of Code Blue help, we head home to residences filled with warmth offered by heaters and family. Others need places like Sam Naples, the Rescue Mission of Trenton, HomeFront or Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, to name several significant local outreaches. Humans arriving to these places demand that they receive dignity and respect. If Trenton ever rebounds, persons must welcome and help all residents in need of food, shelter, heat, and love. Welcome. Come in. So, happy you’re here. Can I get you a hot cup of tea? L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].