Dec. 18, 2021 will mark two years since the untimely death of my best friend and fellow Street Sense Media artist and vendor Alice Carter. I know I’ve written about Alice numerous times before. But as long as I’m alive and writing for Street Sense, I’ll likely always do a write up for her around this time of year. Not just to acknowledge her existence and early passing, but to wish her a happy birthday as her birthday is just one day after Christmas. I guess I want to make sure I do my part to assure Alice is remembered by more than just myself and her family.
I still think of her every day that goes by. I don’t miss her one iota less with the passage of time. It’s really not getting any easier to live without her. Maybe that’s natural. But oftentimes I still weep.
I weep for missing her presence in my life. Though we lived together most of the years she resided in D.C., even when living separately we managed to run into each other regularly throughout the DMV. My heart would leap for joy as I’d unexpectedly see Alice at Street Sense or the food stamp offi ce or one of her panhandling spots in D.C., or in Virginia at Pentagon City, or old town Alexandria. I have no doubt that area residents who were so accustomed to seeing Alice at her primary spot at 17th and Corcoran NW still walk by her spot and think of her. She was here for only a few years but she definitely made her mark on the city.
You can still see performances by Alice at Busboys and Poets on YouTube. Just Google “baby alice busboys and poets” and you’ll find two different videos that someone posted years ago. I have a hard time watching them. I still miss her too much.
So, until next year, Alice, to you from all of us who still miss you so much, Merry Christmas and happy birthday.
