8:30 a.m. I woke up. It snowed last night. About a half an hour later I can hear Michael waking up and making noise. I came out of the tent and Michael and I began having a discussion.
Michael was telling me about some of the supplies his friend gave him at the hardware store. His friend had given him a tent. I asked Michael if you wanted me to help him set up an A-frame in the tent so that it would be protected from the elements.
Michael agreed and we work together to set up a new tent for him since his old tent had critter bite marks, wetness, and was falling apart.
Michael’s also was kind enough to teach me about using Crisco lard as a fuel source and heating source.
11:30 a.m. Michael and I walked down to Lifebridge so that I could get lunch, and Michael was going to fly a sign near the museum. As we walk Michael tells me about the lobsterman that had taken him out to set gear, and had not paid him. This was concerning to me, and I began thinking that this lobsterman took advantage of Michael. Michael told me that the lobsterman was planning on picking him up at the flag posts on Friday between 12:00 and 1:30 to go fishing. I’m going to ask Michael in the future If he ever was able to reconnect with this fisherman.
12:00 p.m. I ate lunch at Life bridge. It was chicken salad with potatoes, and some rice pudding from Crosby’s. The rice pudding was probably out of date but I ate it and enjoyed it.
1:00 p.m. I drove to an undisclosed location, at the time of writing this. I’ve been in communications with a friend of mine who had told me about a job doing homeless outreach. I met with my friend, and I met with his boss, and then I met with his boss’s boss. And I was told that I should be shoe-in for this position. Some people might not like that I’m taking a job. I had tried to keep one of my original jobs before I went on this journey of homelessness. I was not allowed because of certain conflicts that had been suggested. I will remain homeless while I work this job. I will have to maintain professional conduct and professional boundaries so as I do this job I will not share any information about the people that I am working with.
5:30 p.m. I leave my friend and my new place of employment. I went to my girlfriend’s apartment and she and I got ready to go to the TMF (The Movement Family homeless) dinner in Lawrence. TMF is an organization that was started to help troubled youth volunteer and help the homeless in Lawrence, by Michael Gorman. This is a great organization that I love dearly and they do a lot for the community. They have dinner every Wednesday. Where volunteers help out and donate food. They offer clothing, books, medical care, games, and more for the people that are homeless and other people in the community.
8:30 p.m. We arrived at the TMF dinner. I look around for Michael and those people everywhere. They have St John’s prep donating and serving the meal. It’s all kids from the St John’s prep hockey team serving. I finally run into Michael and we have a quick talk. Michael at TMF talks to me about my homeless project. I give a quick biopsy, but there’s no way I could encapsulate what I’m doing in a short conversation. After I talk to Michael, Michael gets up and addresses everybody at the dinner. Which is followed by a prayer. My girlfriend and I stay and eat, and we drive back to her place since it’s getting late.
