Meeting Arthur
April 2nd, 2009
Arthur is a nomad, like many of the people he works with. He is also a L.I.C.S.W. I met him at Bread and Jams. I had been going there for a while and felt compelled to comment on the staff, especially Carlos. I had just met Arthur and didn’t know what to think of him. I told him that the staff made the place what it is. I meant it as a good thing. Arthur said, “I’ll take that as a compliment.” I don’t know much about what’s in the DSM [Official Site] [Wikipedia], but I guessed that his diagnosis had the word ‘Narcissism’ in it. I can say that because I was not under the cone of confidentiality then. I don’t know what I can say now except that he is an interesting case, but I’m concerned that I may not be able to do him any good.
The Homeful are Crazy
January 5th, 2009
I used to sleep at The Station when it rained. On a clear night I could sleep out in the open. I slept near The Monument, but not in it. I didn’t want to upset the families of those who went. I didn’t go. But those who went did not object to me being there. I asked. They didn’t say nothin’.1
Some of those nights were glorious. Orion the Hunter, visible to almost all of the world’s people2, stood guard over me. I was outside for the largest full moon of the year. My favorite is when there are a few clouds – not enough to bring rain – just enough to the dance over moon. But rain means having better gear. I was working on a bivy, but I was also in a race to keep the loft of my sleeping bag ahead of the dropping temperature as winter set in. I never did get a good seal.3 Hence, the Station.
Why not just stay all the time at the Station? The Homeful.
They’re waiting for trains until midnight.4
You can sit on a bench with them, if you are careful to blend in. If you lie down, the jig is up. The security guard will come and ‘ask’ you to leave. At midnight, after the last departure, the guard closes The Terminal. You have to go outside. One night a drunk refused to move. They dragged him by his hands out on the platform. The EMT’s came. They offered him a cigarette if he would get up and walk away. No deal. They strapped him in and rolled him off.