I briefly met Williams once back in the 80s when he worked as a DJ here in Cleveland—before his descent into the world of addiction, petty crime, and eventual homelessness. He struck me as one cool dude even back then.

He was a man that was comfortable in his own skin—and he carried himself that way. That voice, he knew he had it and he had fun with it. He was handsome and talented, but not “stuck on himself.” He was truly down to earth…

It could be that we are finally—at last—moving toward a more compassionate, forgiving Zeitgeist in regards to our nation’s disadvantaged. After all, even Tea Partiers claim to be Christians, right?

However, for this tale to have a happy ending Williams has to stay straight once he’s got two dollars above bus fare jingling in his jeans pockets—no mean feat once someone has been bitten as hard as he. What’s the old joke “I can quit [insert whatever your drug of choice in here] anytime I want. I’ve done it dozens’ of times.” I certainly don’t wish the brother ill, but (for his own good) he bears close watching for awhile. Believe me, nothing on God’s green earth is as empty as a junkie’s promise.