Homelessness: Discuss!

[Lydia]

Originally Posted by digital-audiophile

Speaking of walking the plus 15's I assume you are talking about the one dude that wears the brown work overalls and jacket? That guy is lucky to be alive as during the summer he tends to walk in traffic, last summer he came within literally 2" of being a splatter on my bush guard.. scared the crap out of me!!

There are actually a few that I see - one talks to himself constantly, another almost giggles constantly, and then there's a really sad looking young man dressed all in black - one look in his eyes and you know he's really not there. It breaks my heart, because this is someone's child. And he needs to be institutionalized. I can't imagine he ever showers, and I can't imagine where he sleeps or obtains food.

I also see the 'regulars' who sit on the corners and panhandle. They are usually clean, and appear to be well fed. Instead of dropping money in their hats, I am a monthly contributor to the United Way - half my contribution goes to shelters, the other half to addiction programs.

For anyone who hasn't seen it - there is a couple from Vancouver who put together a Homeless Wish List for Christmas. It was a fantastic idea - they obtained personal stories from each individual, along with their 'wish list'. Many of them simply wanted a clean pair of socks, or bus tickets. By reading their stories, you realize that these are individuals, and they ended up where they are from a wide variety of causes. I was especially saddened by the number of men who ended up on the street because they could not get past a divorce, the loss of their family, their home, etc. Our own coping skills are not something we should ever take for granted...

There were also many cases of mental illness, such as schizophrenia. Please don't tell me someone CHOSE to be born with that.