A newspaper article on “Homeless in San Diego” wrote an article that included her. Named her Delores or Doris, something like that. Saw her every day, going and coming to work or home. Driving by, seeing her, wondering day after day, who she was.
Ragged woman…in
dirty army fatigues, worn out fatigues.
Long ratty gray hair, wrinkled hands, couldn’t see her face but once
when she shook the dirty mass back to tie up with a red bandanna.
Her face, well, her face. Must have been beautiful sometime, beauty was still there, hidden with wrinkles, dirt, frown, lines…fine bones. Fine hands, long legs.
Her face, well, her face. Must have been beautiful sometime, beauty was still there, hidden with wrinkles, dirt, frown, lines…fine bones. Fine hands, long legs.
Sometime maybe thirty, forty years ago, now ragged worn out.
Doris
pushed her shopping cart up Washington over to Broadway, back again.
Watched Doris for two years maybe. Each day she stretched out skinny arms, pushed heavy cart, had sleeping bag, pieces of junk, where she slept was a mystery Sometimes could see her curled up in a corner of empty supermarket, sometimes behind garbage bin.
Watched Doris for two years maybe. Each day she stretched out skinny arms, pushed heavy cart, had sleeping bag, pieces of junk, where she slept was a mystery Sometimes could see her curled up in a corner of empty supermarket, sometimes behind garbage bin.
Didn’t know what she ate Tried to give her money a few times she swore at
me, walked away, pride maybe.
Winter and rain, saw less and less, just glimpses
of here, there under overhangs or trees.
Then, one day, the next next next, Doris wasn’t there. Never saw her again.
Wonder what, where, when. Doris went somewhere.
Have you seen these poor people along the roads? Have you asked why?
I've heard it said this is one of the many pandemics of this nation.
ReplyDeleteTruly is. Veterans and some mentally ill are the main of the sufferers.
ReplyDeleteI hope Doris found a place to be rather than the alternative reason for her to go missing.
ReplyDeleteHomeless people had a way of disappearing sadly.
DeleteI have seen people sleeping in the streets, but not in big tented groups as in your first picture and not loaded up with trolleys and bags either. Those who do have possessions usually leave them hidden somewhere in a park or alley while they sit on the street and beg. Sometimes they are just groups of indigenous peoples who have come to the city for some reason and camp out in the parks, sleeping there and roaming the city during the day, but they don't beg, they have money for food and places to go, perhaps they came to support some of their own in our February Fringe Festival, or they came to the city for vaccinations or for any other reason.
ReplyDeleteThe first photo is more a down and out part of the city, like with some tents. They would be in a more sheltered area.
DeleteDifficult to distinguish between genuine homeless and professional beggars in London. Better to give direct to charities that provide hot meals and hostel accommodation.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Charities are the best way to be.
DeleteHi Susan - yes ... we see them here on the south coast of the UK - usually in small groups, or individually. They were offered a place to sleep in the first winter of the pandemic. I feel for them and follow Fun60s approach. There should be a place for everyone, thanks for highlighting - Hilary
ReplyDeleteFebruary is brutal in some places. Shelters are inadequate in this day.
DeleteSo very sad…I give money to Shelter but still so many people do not receive the help they need.
ReplyDeleteWe donate as well.
Deletewe have no tents on the streets but Florida is full of homeless, they come here because they will not freeze in winter. it is heartbreaking and in 1984 i would have been homeless if not for my mother sister, I lived with her on her sofa or 8 weeks. many of americans are one paycheck away from becoming homeless. and once you get down you can't get up without help. my heart breaks each time I see them. yes there are some who do now want help but most do. I worked for several years in our church homeless ministry and the stories were unbelievable
ReplyDeleteChurches help homeless, mentally unstable, military. God bless you.
Deletevery touching and sad story dear Susan ,yes i used to see such people as little girl i think though i can't say they were homeless or baggers because they would take money from people .
ReplyDeletesuch stories kept me awake and made me cry in my teenage ,i still think that reality is there may be time changed my perspective to survive anyway and wait for moment when i can help someone
To help those people in some way is so difficult.
DeleteThank you for this well-written story which touched my heart.
ReplyDeleteI have a relative with a degree and a great job, but who is suffering from mental illness. She's left her family, moved to another city, lives alone, has no friends. Functions when she takes her medicine, then not when she doesn't. The husband she left still supports and helps her. If he didn't, she may well be just one step away from not wanting to take her meds, losing her job, and living on the streets. I have now witnessed how mental illness, even mild enough for a person to function, can cause them to end up homeless on a city street. Something more needs to be done, treating mental illness, caring for these people, but I don't know what the answer is. Just that this is so tragic and it should not be happening here in the United States.
Mental illness here, esp. in discharged veterans, is tragic.
DeleteThere are stories from strange to plain down and out. In my job once at the end of the day I would have good sandwiches left. I offered some once and got a very stern 'Hell no, I'm not a beggar!" Then one I knew very well, I was told he once was the best of workers. Later as a street person he told me he had no problems, no responsibilities and preferred his life. His choice of sleeping places was under bridges.
ReplyDeleteThere are many very sad stories out there, I think I have met the exceptions. The first I mentioned was a mental problem and I did not know it. He was from a wealthy family in Charlotte.
It is the children who are caught in the middle I worry for. Giving to shelters is one way to help, how to eradicate? I have no earthy idea. Usually the gov't throws money at a problem, but it normally does not work.
A very sad situation all over the world. I am thankful daily, WE are blessed.
Sherry & jack, finally seeing Florida weather.
Too many homeless are too common. Children are not common here. Winter is worst in any place. Chicago is horrible. Those tent towns are under overpasses, and people are poorly wrapped up.
DeleteSo sad. I see many homeless people around here but most seem to stay on the move. There are some over the years though who have stuck around for a long time. Like your story, I always wonder what happened to them when they do just disappear like that one day.
ReplyDeleteSome homeless and illegals set up camps in local canyons that are close to a town. It can get pretty nasty.
DeleteThere's a large homeless population here and several in my neighborhood. I know most of the homeless in my neighborhood are drug addicts because I can see them coming and going from the drug apartment. I've seen them in the alley hitting the meth pipe. I'm sure the drugs have a lot of to with why they are homeless.
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us bloggers a close up view of that life. Be safe.
DeleteWe've worked with them. Some want help, some don't. When they want help, it's there, including support for job training and assistance with living quarters. It makes me sad that some choose this kind of life.
ReplyDeleteIt is a mental illness curse that sweeps through homelessness.
DeleteSo sad. Before we moved from Midtown (Sacramento) a prime gathering place for the homeless was under the freeway a few blocks away, in several cross-street locations. So despairing. It was getting worse each year, and since we moved to Portugal last year, a former neighbor writes to us that it's getting even more overwhelming. Nothing seems to be done about it. It's almost as if the City thinks if you don't mention it, the problem will just go away. It's beyond sad.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right for ignoring the problem. Government is good at that.
DeleteSo many are veterans and for many of them, they are still fighting a war in their heads. It is so heartbreaking. To add to that we now have a new group of homeless. They are the working poor who are being thrown out of their homes and can’t afford the ridiculous rents because of all the gentrification of cities and towns. This is also heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteSo sad. God sees even the sparrow fall; us, not so much.
ReplyDelete