10/16/23 Day 16, Monday, Boston

5:30 a.m. I wake up and get my gear together. 

The man who disturbed our sleep the night before never comes back. It’s a very spotty night of sleep. There’s planes overhead causing car alarms go off all night which keeps me up.

6:30 a.m. I go to the L-Street bathhouse and write my blog. Scotty is there buffing the floors. 

9:00 a.m. I head over to Emmanuel church on Newbury St. To meet Lisa and have breakfast. I talk to a woman who does nonprofit work. I then go to visit my Friend James Daniels at South station. James buys me a double whopper meal. I haven’t seen James since we were kids. I’ve stayed in contact with him through FB since I got home from federal prison and he’s always been a strong support for me. James tells about working on big electrical systems in the city. We talk about my project and friends we’ve lost to the opioid epidemic. It’s good to have good friends in the city. 

11:30 a.m. I head over to the Commons to go to the Manna lunch at st. Paul’s. LA is there. I eat some more and charge my phones. LA has connected with a couple other homeless friends. He’s been smoking weed all day. I’m wanting to get more interviews. I’m tired and I worry about having issues with the people in the street. Boston’s Healthcare for the homeless is there giving out flu shots, I get one. I fall asleep on the floor at st. Paul’s. 

2:00 p.m. We get tossed out of st. Paul’s. I love that place. They are genuinely kind and helpful people offering a great service. Freddie shows up drunk before we leave yelling about everyone being pieces of shit, and being a real marine. This happens every time he is drunk. I head over to the Commons with LA, and our new friends. We hang out at the benches around the fountain. This is where some homeless people hang out. There’s also people selling dirt weed, and hustling other shit there. There’s almost a fight over a bad deal. I have no plans. I don’t know what I’m going to do with my day. 

3:30 p.m. We head over to Old West Church where there’s going to be a feed. The dinner doesn’t start until 5:30. LA and I hang out in the garden in the front of the church. I’m so tired but I still do a quick video with some thoughts. Around 4:30 it starts to rain. We try to get some shelter from the overhangs of the church. People start to line up for dinner.

5:30 p.m. We entered the church. There is a big auditorium-like room. We sat down with one of our friends and her guy friend. The church has volunteers from MIT. They’re handing out toiletries, and clothes. There’s also a table giving out apple slices and coffee. The dinner is catered by a local restaurant I can’t remember the name of. We have meatloaf wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. The food is delicious.

6:30 p.m. LA and I leave the church. The woman has been asking that she could sleep in one of our tents. LA seems interested. My plan is to head to the Boston library, hang out, charge my phone, and then go to a place to sleep. LA leaves quickly, and I’m not able to catch up with him so I head to the library on my own. On the way to the library while heading down Boylston Street, I ran into a giant mob of protesters. They are protesting the war against Palestine. There seems to be over 5,000 of them. I locked my bike up to a tree, followed the mob, and I recorded The whole thing on Facebook live.

8:30 p.m. The protest ends at Boston library coincidentally. When I’m done filming I walk back down Boylston Street where I locked my bike up. I ride back to the sleeping spot. I end up having a conversation with the woman that sleeps near us. I mentioned something about trauma which really upset her. I apologize for my apology wasn’t enough. Anyhow it was a good interaction we’re all tired so we go to sleep.