Long Day

June17,2009
Arrived at my destination in the wee small hours of the morning. Had breakfast in a fast food joint and took a walk about. I know... boring but here's the interesting part. When on my walk I found the provincial employment office, that office gave me a list of shelters and soup kitchens. The women's shelter told me to check in at 9pm.
The day was interesting at times, it turns out the bus station is a very lively place. I met an amiable young man, who kept popping up through-out the day. I walked around where the men's shelters and services are, letting people know I was looking for one of my DI boys who had moved out here. Then I met a lovely woman waiting for her transfer to a bus going east and we chatted about the Angels of the Road project.
In the morning I went down town and found out the federal employees were having a fundraiser, hotdog, pop and candy cotton for $2. Funny thing, the woman behind me in line and I were engaged in conversation, until I mentioned staying at the shelter. Then she quite abruptly turned to start a conversation with her co-workers and eased herslf back about 6 feet from where she was previously located. It was a very visual demonstration of the discomfort many civilians feel around homeless people. Perhaps it is unsettling to find out homeless people can be sober, articulate and intelligent...in other words it could be you.
Then at 8pm I left for my new temporary home, reached the corner I was supposed to go to, then took a wrong turn. So I ask a group of young people for directions. The young man offered to walk me over to the shelter because this is a really "dangerous" neighbourhood. He and one of his friends a banger with Red Alert kept me company while I waited til 9pm. We were talking about gangs and I mentioned Hannibal a young man who served some time with my boy Ron. Turns out the young man is a cousin to Hannibal who is also a Red Alert member. Small world. Don't worry, I plan to remain unaffiliated.