I woke up around 5:30 a.m. It was cold and raining all last night. At around 11:00 p.m. last night another fellow rode up on his bike and set his bed up on one of the benches at the church. Then later on it must have been after 12:00 a.m. another man showed up on a bike and set up his bed on another bench. Now there were three of us sleeping under the church roof.
I slept good and my little blanket kept me warm. I love my air mattress. It definitely adds weight to my gear, but it’s worth its weight and gold. There’s nothing besides air, water, and food that’s more important than good sleep.
At 6:30 a.m. After packing up all my gear, I donned my camo poncho and walked and rode my bike to Planet fitness.
I locked up my sleeping gear, took the little backpack, and hung out at Planet fitness for a while. I did a light workout, some pull-ups and dips. I’m starting to think about working out again. Now that I’m hanging out and Planet fitness so much I guess it just kind of came naturally. Like the old adage, if you hang out in a barbershop long enough eventually you’ll get a haircut.
7:15 a.m. I walked over to St Francis house, to the new cafeteria and I ate breakfast. I left St Francis house around 8:30 a.m. and I walked over to Emmanuel Church on Newbury street. They have breakfast and an art group for the homeless today.
When I arrived at Emmanuel Church there was already one homeless man hanging out there on the steps. His name was Bob, shortly after Rob another homeless man showed up. Then Gizmo rolled up in his wheelchair. We all began to conversate. I explain to them that I’ve been living homeless for the last year. I’m going around experiencing it and talking to people. Gizmo expressed interest and decided to do an interview with me.
The doors to a manual church opened around 9:30 a.m. I went in and I grabbed pastry and I hung out for a little while. I told Gizmo that I would eat some breakfast and then we could go do the interview. While I was eating my pastry a large homeless woman began to yell at one of the volunteers, an older African woman. I tried to tell the old African woman that this woman was probably schizophrenic, but she didn’t understand. About five of us sat in a circle and we set our intentions. One of the African ministers spoke about Jesus and such. I shared a little bit about my experiences and I set an intention of peace.
When the intention circle was finished I helped set up the tables for the art group. Then I set out and I found Gizmo once again. Gizmo and I took a walk over to the Commons where we sat down and Gizmo did an interview with me.
After the interview Gizmo and I went back to Emmanuel Church where I hung out and charged my devices. I stayed and ate lunch. Gizmo was also kind enough to color me a picture.
Around 12:30 I rode my bike to North Station to take a train back to Beverly.
When the train arrived in Beverly I rode my bike to where I’d parked my car and left it. I hooked the bike up to the bike rack on the car and I drove to my mother’s house. I have to take a shower and shave and get ready for a job interview tomorrow in Lawrence.
While I was at my mother’s I took time to charge my devices. I hung out with Charlie. Eventually my mother went to work and I took a shower, I shaved, and I clipped my nails. While I was clipping my toenails Charlie who was laying there moved his face over and ate my toenail. I clipped another toenail and I gave it to him and he ate that too. I was really fascinated with the fact that Charlie will pretty much eat anything. Then I began to wonder if Charlie and I were ever in the woods and I got seriously injured, would Charlie try to protect me and save me, or would he just eat me?
Around 6:30 p.m. I left my mother’s house and drove to my friend’s house to pick up some dress shoes that I left there. Then I drove to Marshalls and I bought a pair of cheap dress pants and a dress shirt to wear to the interview.
At 8:00 p.m. I left Marshalls and I drove to my campsite to go to bed for the night. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how something like homelessness that could be easily remedied, become such a massive issue across the country. What I’m starting to realize is that the politics don’t fit with what makes sense on a social or economic level. The corruption runs so deep and it starts from the top.
What makes sense on a political level doesn’t always make sense on a social or economic level. And what makes sense on social and economic level sometimes doesn’t fit with the politics.