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    Mancunian
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

The Boot - Three Years On - 8. Chapter 8

There's a lot happening this week, there is some happiness, some sadness, a 'coming out' sort of and a bit of a history lesson. Phew it tired me out writing it so I can only imagine how the guys in the story feel.

Over the course of the next week there had been a lot going on at The Boot and in the lives of its guests, staff and in the Barton household.

Ian and Kevin had maintained twice daily visits to The Major who had been moved from ICU to a medical ward where he continued to receive treatment and was slowly regaining his strength. He had received visits from Jeff and Andy as well as Kate and Steve who had been keeping him informed of most of the events as they occurred at the shelter. Kate and Steve had also told him about the new addition to their ‘family’. The Major asked if he could meet Danny as some point in the future, his spirits were lifted greatly when they agreed and told him that they had stopped seeing him as a guest but as a valued friend some time ago. He had been helping out and working as a volunteer at The Boot for nearly three years, many of the long term guests approached him before speaking with the staff. Even Beccy and Jim looked up to him, often seeking his opinion and respecting his judgement.

Beccy and Jim felt that they had to visit The Major after seeing the doctor at the local walk-in medical centre. Beccy’s pregnancy had been confirmed and not having a father that she knew of she wanted to tell the man that been a father figure to her since her first visit to The Little Boot. As The Major gave Jim a stern but friendly talking too about how he now had to do even more to look after Beccy and her unborn baby, and step up his efforts to get them off the street, Beccy’s mind began to wander remembering her first meeting with the down and out military gentleman, and he was a gentleman.

******

The night was a wet and windy one typical for April in the UK, nearly four years ago before the shelter existed. She had heard a few others on the street talking about meeting at The Boot so she went to find out what was so important, it was fitting as what they were talking about was this big man who would park his Volvo Estate car on a side street and after putting out a camping table would serve them hot drinks and sandwiches from the boot of his car, hence the term ‘The Boot’ was born. This man, Jeff, was soon joined by others who would help him from time to time. After a few months he was regularly joined by a couple, Kate and Steve, They helped him and Kate would bake them savoury and sweet pies and cakes. The food was always welcome, but so were the friendly people that spoke to them and treated them with respect.

That first night every time she got near the front of the queue someone pushed her back before she got any food, at that time she was the only woman there. As she got near the front again a small wiry older man with weasel like features pushed her out of the way shouting, “Get out of my way bitch.” She fell and hit her head on the pavement, it hurt and she could feel blood running through her hair.

Suddenly Beccy was scooped up in strong arms, there was a strong smell of alcohol on the breath of the man who came to her aid and she heard a loud booming voice, “Move, get out of the way, have you all lost your sense of decency and manners along with everything else. Get out of the way and let this lady get some food too.” As Beccy looked at the man who had the look and air of authority him he addressed the people serving the food, “Do you have any first aid equipment so that I can clean this lady’s wound, she needs something to eat and drink too if there enough left, if not she can have mine.” Spinning around he shouted, almost barking at a small weasel featured man, “You, I might have guessed, Bill you’re an arsehole you treat everyone like shit. Well I’ve had enough you have reached a low that no man should ever reach.” Addressing everyone around he continued, “We might have lost everything we have but we still have our dignity, if I ever see anyone behave like this again and treat any of our fellow street people badly you will have me to deal with.” This scruffy but smart, if that’s possible, man returned to speaking to the people with the food, “I’m sorry but I have standards and nobody especially a lady should be treated the way that everyone, especially Bill, has treated this lady tonight.”

As a round of applause broke out among the street people Jeff spoke, “Please don’t apologise for being a good man, there is plenty here for everyone. I’m sorry but I don’t have a first aid kit, I only have some cleansing wipes and tissues but you are welcome to use them. I wish that we could do more.”

That was the first time that Beccy had met The Major, the memory brought a tear to her eye. Sometime later she met this hunk of a man who took her fancy and he felt the same way about her, but first he had to pass the test of The Major and ask his permission.

Unknown to them there was an extra 'helper' that night, a young man who ran home to a house without the parents that he loved, they had passed away. Even in his grief He felt guilty that he had so much and these people had so little, he cried himself to sleep vowing to do what he could to help. In his sleep he dreamt of, or did he remember, a friend of his parents, Michael Langford, his Uncle Michael, he had opened a house with communal accommodation and independent flats to help get homeless teenagers off the streets, it was called Edward Langford House. When he woke in the morning he knew what he wanted to do and approached Jeff.

It took some planning and obviously some time, but with help from Kate and Steve a shelter was opened. The first night Jeff went to the usual spot where he parked up, he still had food and hot drinks to hand out but he also had news for everyone that came. An old disused church was open for them to sleep in and take shelter and hot food was available. Kate and Steve were there and heard the first group of homeless people, their first ‘guests’ talking as they arrived. The comment that stuck in their minds was, “Wow, we thought The Boot was good, this great, this is like a bigger boot.” That gave them the name that they were looking for and ‘The Boot’ was born. ‘The Little Boot’ is still going, even though it is a little bigger now, it’s a mobile kitchen run from a converted Ford Transit Van.

Beccy, sweetheart, what’s wrong why are you crying?” Jim was worried, he didn’t like to see the love of his life upset.

Beccy smiled, “I’m not crying, I’m remembering and its good memories that make me feel emotional. It’s probably just my hormones being all over the place with being pregnant, that’s all.” Leaning in she gave Jim a kiss on the cheek.

******

Kate and Steve soon realised that Danny was in no shape to return to the home that he had been placed in and called Danny’s Social Worker. After a long conversation it was agreed that Danny would not return to the Children’s Home, well he would, but only to pack all his belongings as he needed them in his new home.

As the week passed Danny got more comfortable and learned more about what his new ‘parents’ interests were and what Steve did at The Boot. He enjoyed helping Kate in the kitchen and cooking food that Steve took to the shelter. In some ways he was like the child that’s constantly asks, why? But Kate and Steve took it all in their stride and enjoyed it.

While it was too soon to say that they loved each other a bond was being formed and feelings were beginning to develop. If the truth was to be known Kate and Steve could no longer imagine their lives without Danny being with them and for the first time that he could remember Danny felt like this was home.

As happy as Danny was they did notice that sometimes he had that faraway look in his eyes, they guessed correctly what it was, he missed his JJ and they knew that that was one thing they couldn’t give him. They could only be there to give him support when he was ready for it.

******

After some trepidation there had been a series of group meetings of guests and staff at The Boot and John had come clean about his true identity. As expected there was a mixed response to John’s admittance of his true identity, there appeared to be a three way split in reactions. Led by Beccy and Jim there were those that accepted the explanation with little or no fuss. There were others who on the face of it appeared to be indifferent, but there was a noticeable difference to the amount of trust shown although as time progressed this lessened as they accepted the 'new John' who was now known by his true name, Christian or Chris as he preferred it. The third group though small and with a sub group led by Bill were very distrusting, making it clear that they were only there as they no other place to go and depended on The Boot. The sub group led by Bill, stayed away but even they were slowly reappearing, with the noticeable absence of Bill.

The remainder of the staff and volunteers, who had not previously been told the facts relating to John were in awe of the young man who had done and given so much. Even Andy who had known of John’s secret was looking at him in a new light, it did no harm to his feelings as he had felt drawn to John from the first time that he had met him. He hadn’t made any move or approach as it wouldn’t be right to get involved with a guest as he first thought John was, even when he found out different he was aware that John’s guest status had to be maintained to the other guests and what would be the point anyway. John was attractive but hopelessly straight which along with his wealth and that in a roundabout sort of way John was his boss just made more reasons why he shouldn’t make a fool of himself. What did hurt was he had these feelings but couldn’t act on them, this caused Andy to fall into a slump and he started to distance himself from John.

As the week progressed the persona of ‘John’ disappeared and Christian ‘came out of the closet’.

Well that's chapter 8, I hope your not too tired with all of the events of the week, it has been a busy one.
NB. What we in The UK call the boot of a car is known as the trunk in other parts and a pavement is otherwise known as the sidewalk, just to clear up any confusion.
NB. The reference to Edward Langford House Is taken from a story called Edward Langford House written by my father @cognac69 who passed away 12 months ago and which I now legally hold the copyright to. In some ways The Boot and The Boot - Three Years On could be considered as follow-ups to that story.
Thank you to everyone who is still reading, I hope that you're enjoying the story so please let me know, thank you for the positive reactions. A special thank you to those leaving comments they are appreciated, especially @KayDeeMac who gave me the idea for Beccy's flashback.
Copyright © 2019 Mancunian; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Story Discussion Topic

Welcome to The Boot World discussion forum. This includes all of the stories from The Boot Series and the Lost Soul Series. The Boot was the first story posted in this collection of stories, it was originally intended as a one-off story. Like many one-off stories, it grew and The Boot Three Years On was written as a follow-up. Some readers asked about the back story of some of the characters, which led to the Lost Soul Series. Together they form The Boot World. Both Series have grown and in
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Enjoyable chapter, and a nice way to show some of the history of The Boot by using Beccy's flashback.

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There definitely are people like Bill out there. Deeply suspicious and ungrateful, always demanding more no matter how much they are given. Terminally unhappy and wanting to spread their unhappiness as far and as wide as possible. Almost certainly suffering from a diagnosable mental illness (paranoid schizophrenic seems likely), but unwilling to talk to a mental health professional.

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I still like my theories on the source of the name better! Especially the village. Commemorating fond memories of holidays or something…
;–)

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6 hours ago, Marty said:

Enjoyable chapter, and a nice way to show some of the history of The Boot by using Beccy's flashback.

Thank you @Marty for the comments. I have to be honest we have @KayDeeMac to thank for the history, I was asked how The Boot got it's name and decided to answer that by including it into the story, I'm happy that you think it works I hope others feel the same way too. 

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3 hours ago, droughtquake said:

There definitely are people like Bill out there. Deeply suspicious and ungrateful, always demanding more no matter how much they are given. Terminally unhappy and wanting to spread their unhappiness as far and as wide as possible. Almost certainly suffering from a diagnosable mental illness (paranoid schizophrenic seems likely), but unwilling to talk to a mental health professional.

Unfortunately you are right again with your comments about Bill, but there are also others out there who are like The Major. As in all walks of life there are many different personalities and types of people, but then that's what makes us all unique.

3 hours ago, droughtquake said:

I still like my theories on the source of the name better! Especially the village. Commemorating fond memories of holidays or something…
;–)

I think we can agree to disagree and still be friends as I obviously like my take on how The Boot got its name, but your comments are still valuable and help to keep me on my toes. 😀

I also wanted to include it in the story after being asked the question to let readers know that I do read and value all comments, readers can sometimes influence the writer, hopefully for the better.

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Another great chapter!! The flash back was a great vehicle for some of the back story! Keep up the good work & highlighting teen homelessness!!

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It's hard enough when your world implodes as an adult let alone as a child or a young adult!?! I lost my business in 2015 after years of struggling during the recession & the house in 2017 when i was just shy of 48 & it affects you at a base level & even now I can be reduced to tears. I had a dependant parent living with me & we were going to be put into emergency b&b accommodation but in different towns how can that work isolating an octogenarian in a strange town on their own. But I was an adult albeit with health issues but I knew of some of the ways of "system " but youngsters without a stable home life's or family friends, role models etc don't really stand a chance when services are being cut & the cracks in the system , are getting wider & deeper by the day & the staff in charge over worked!!! so  much for progress in the 21st  century!?!?.

Til you've walked  in their shoes you don't know the pain & dispair that homelessness can cause at any age but today's youth are tomorrow's future & potential work force if we & they are lucky!?!? So more could should & must be done!

Ok so I've now got off my soap box for today!

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46 minutes ago, Freemantleman said:

It's hard enough when your world implodes as an adult let alone as a child or a young adult!?! I lost my business in 2015 after years of struggling during the recession & the house in 2017 when i was just shy of 48 & it affects you at a base level & even now I can be reduced to tears. I had a dependant parent living with me & we were going to be put into emergency b&b accommodation but in different towns how can that work isolating an octogenarian in a strange town on their own. But I was an adult albeit with health issues but I knew of some of the ways of "system " but youngsters without a stable home life's or family friends, role models etc don't really stand a chance when services are being cut & the cracks in the system , are getting wider & deeper by the day & the staff in charge over worked!!! so  much for progress in the 21st  century!?!?.

Til you've walked  in their shoes you don't know the pain & dispair that homelessness can cause at any age but today's youth are tomorrow's future & potential work force if we & they are lucky!?!? So more could should & must be done!

Ok so I've now got off my soap box for today!

I was homeless for a little over two years. I managed to stay in shelters the whole time, but it was extremely difficult at the time and would be impossible now. With the massive increase in homelessness in the an Francisco Bay Area, there is a vast discrepancy between the numbers of people who need shelter and the number of beds available. To ration the available space, there are time limits on how long you can stay at the various shelters. The rules vary at different shelters and the restrictions have been tightened even over the time I was staying in them.

While the rescue mission is convinced that everyone forced to stay there is a sinner who is an alcoholic, crack-addict with a heroin and meth habit, there are many people who have become homeless due to things like medical bills, fires, and job losses. Certainly, there are addicts. Most homeless people have mental health problems. There are many Vets. And there are others who are on probation or parole. Many people suffer from falling into multiple categories.

Once you become homeless, it’s very difficult to climb out of the hole. I was able to do so about six years ago only because I won my Social Security Disability case.
 

About half of the homeless people in the Bay Area are employed, but cannot afford to pay for housing. Minimum wage jobs do not pay enough to allow someone to rent even the smallest apartments in the Bay Area – even if you have more than one full-time minimum wage jobs. Many people cannot save up the deposit plus first & last rent required. Most homeless people do not look like the stereotype of the smelly guy in raggedy clothes pushing a shopping cart filled with all his worldly possessions.

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4 hours ago, Freemantleman said:

@droughtquake you must be a strong man to go through what you have and come out the other Side & start to rebuild your life. I found my mum a flat in a social housing retirement complex in southern England & I now live with her  as her live in carer working 24/7 for free room n board. I gave up smoking 11 months ago I rarely drink n I was single for 12 years not many guys want someone with disabilities! I get by on disability benefit but I live hand yo mouth but we have a safe & secure roof over our heads! That is soo important to feel safe again!!! I live on strong prescription drugs but have never suffered from substance abuse. If i was on my own given my age of would have been placed in a local hostel along the lines of those that you've described & tbh i doubt I'd have survived long I'm not as street wise as I once thought I was!!

I'm thankful for the help I eventually got but sad to see the people I once considered friends disappear into the mists  as my world collapsed they didn't want to be associated with my mess & any perceived fallout ???? My own siblings told me where I went wrong but stood by & did nothing to help!!

I am becoming stronger I'm not looking  for sympathy what happened can't be changed but I'm more aware of others plight especially amongst our own community & even if it's just  putting a few extra  tins into a local food bank collection point I'll try & help in my own small way. But we are all tarred with the same brush when there are so many complex reasons for homelessness!

If you can afford to show a kindness to another person in any small action or acknowledgement you never know how much it might positively impact their life that day!?

When I was referred to the rescue mission, I was given some good advice that, while simple, was very helpful. The social worker who was helping me told me that she had once moved into a new neighborhood that was very different from what she was used to. She decided to treat it as a sociological experiment and asked lots of questions.

So I did as she suggested and people were very helpful. I also noticed how some of the other transients acted, always complaining and never satisfied with what they were being given – they complained about how rude everyone was everywhere. I decided I didn’t want to be like them and I talked to everybody! I’d talk to people waiting for the bus. I talked to people on the bus. I talked to the Mexican and Salvadoran guys who were ignored by the others staying in the mission. My experiences in the city I’d never before lived in were positive.
;–)

I made lots of friends because I didn’t reject anyone. Of course there were people who were rude to me, but they were outnumbered by the ones who were helpful. I made it my mission to pass on the information that others had given to me.
 

I don’t think I’m particularly street smart. I grew up in the suburbs. I may have lived in a sketchy neighborhood in one of the cities in the Bay Area with the highest crime rate, but I was still very naïve. I just did what I had to do to survive. I think I was in shock pretty much the entire time I was homeless.
;–)

My having clinical depression and generalized anxiety was only part of the reason I became homeless, but it didn’t help (except with the Social Security Disability case).

Edited by droughtquake
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7 hours ago, Freemantleman said:

Another great chapter!! The flash back was a great vehicle for some of the back story! Keep up the good work & highlighting teen homelessness!!

Thank you for the comment, I'm glad that you are enjoying the story. As with the original story, The Boot, it is written to highlight the plight homeless people and partly as a tribute to those who do what they can to help as they are often the unsung heroes working hard for little or no pay. Any small thing done by someone to help can make a big difference to those need the help.

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6 hours ago, Freemantleman said:

It's hard enough when your world implodes as an adult let alone as a child or a young adult!?! I lost my business in 2015 after years of struggling during the recession & the house in 2017 when i was just shy of 48 & it affects you at a base level & even now I can be reduced to tears. I had a dependant parent living with me & we were going to be put into emergency b&b accommodation but in different towns how can that work isolating an octogenarian in a strange town on their own. But I was an adult albeit with health issues but I knew of some of the ways of "system " but youngsters without a stable home life's or family friends, role models etc don't really stand a chance when services are being cut & the cracks in the system , are getting wider & deeper by the day & the staff in charge over worked!!! so  much for progress in the 21st  century!?!?.

Til you've walked  in their shoes you don't know the pain & dispair that homelessness can cause at any age but today's youth are tomorrow's future & potential work force if we & they are lucky!?!? So more could should & must be done!

Ok so I've now got off my soap box for today!

Please feel free to air your comments about homelessness as it sparks discussion, helps to open peoples eyes and hopefully their hearts. 

One comment that you make regarding not knowing someones pain and despair unless you have walked in their shoes is so very appropriate and reminds me of what my dad used to say, 'You shouldn't judge anyone unless you have walked a mile in their shoes, as until then you know nothing about them'. It's one of the things that I try to live by and never judge anyone even if they have judged me unfairly or not. I've been lucky I've not suffered homelessness or some of the other problems that appear in the story, but most people I've my own set of problems to deal with but I still try to do my small part.

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Thank you @Freemantleman and @droughtquake for your valuable comments and discussion they help to inspire me both in my writing and my efforts to help homeless people. I hope you both continue to enjoy the story and comment. I appreciate the time that everyone takes to comment. 😀

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8 minutes ago, Mancunian said:

Thank you for the comment, I'm glad that you are enjoying the story. As with the original story, The Boot, it is written to highlight the plight homeless people and partly as a tribute to those who do what they can to help as they are often the unsung heroes working hard for little or no pay. Any small thing done by someone to help can make a big difference to those need the help.

Thanks!

I was lucky not to need the people that your talking about but I totally agree they do a wonderful job in some difficult circumstances & not just in financial costs of running what ever type of service that they do but in the abuse  that they may face  from clients or the surrounding communities that may not want these things happening in their areas!? There is still do much bigotry & lack of understanding  out there which is a sad reflection of the world we live in!! For me it was feeling that I was human age in & could try & hold my head up high again!! I'd offer my time to local groups or organisations but my mum tskes ul do myvh of my day I've got little 4nergy left or is he in too much pain do I just keep ttyingbyo do what little bits I can ad I can & is hope others could do the same!?!?

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@droughtquake that's exactly how I felt when I saw it, I saw the report on Yahoo.com news. It's heartbreaking to know that it goes on anywhere in the world but believe it or not this was in Ireland, part of our so called civilised western world. I'm sorry if it upset you by posting it, I just wanted to make people aware that it a real phenomenon, one that I feel we should be aware and ashamed of and needs tackling.

Edited by Mancunian
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2 minutes ago, Mancunian said:

@droughtquake that's exactly how I felt when I saw it, I saw the report on Yahoo.com news. It's heartbreaking to know that it goes on anywhere in the world but believe it or not this was in Ireland, part of our so called civilised western world. I'm sorry if it upset you by posting it, I just wanted to make people aware that it a real phenomenon, one that I feel we should be aware and ashamed of and needs tackling.

Oh, things like that go on every day here in the very Progressive and wealthy Bay Area too! Here we have a bunch of tech companies and their employees who never look up from their screens. Police collaborate to push the homeless out of the sight of the wealthy and influential. Only a few are willing to put their money to use to help solve the crisis. Some will volunteer during high profile occasions, but ignore the need the rest of the year.

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I agree with all of these discussions.  I live in America (arguably the richest country in the world) and we still have a HUGE homeless problem.  A problem that rarely gets any mention in the daily news circuit.  The post also brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you Mancunian for crediting me with giving you the inspiration for this chapter.  It was a great chapter as they all are. 

Looking forward to following the adventures in and around "The Boot".

Thank you again!

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3 hours ago, KayDeeMac said:

I agree with all of these discussions.  I live in America (arguably the richest country in the world) and we still have a HUGE homeless problem.  A problem that rarely gets any mention in the daily news circuit.  The post also brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you Mancunian for crediting me with giving you the inspiration for this chapter.  It was a great chapter as they all are. 

Looking forward to following the adventures in and around "The Boot".

Thank you again!

Thank you for reading and commenting it's the supportive and constructive comments that keep me going, I enjoy reading them and find that the valuable input helps to create and inspire some of the ideas. 

My promise to my readers is that I will read and take note of all comments, it is a promise that I intend to keep.

Edited by Mancunian
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People don't need grand gestures when they're having a tough time with living day to day or even hour to hour!!  it's defo the small gestures that make the biggest impact, even a hot coffee on a cold day etc .

Since I lost my house in July 2017 I've been a live in carer for my mum & given i don't meet the age  restriction for the complex (55+) as I only  recently turned 50 I'm allowed to live with her but not as a tenant but as a long term guest with no rights or tenure  but I still don't have a place of my own & feel that if I dont go with her plans or ideas she might ask me to leave & i have no legal recourse.

Realistically I know it's unlikely to happen but it could so technically I'm still homeless although I have a secure roof over my head I pay the price by being here 24/7 at her beck & call & she's not an easy lady to deal with lol & thats an understatement lol!!

It's that feeling at the back of my mind that I have to toe the line, bite my tongue & keep smiling! I want m6 own space in the end somewhere I can call MY HOME! Not hers not my partners mine then ours  with luck !?!?

I'll keep dreaming at this stage but I know I'll get there in the end through hard work,  determination, a good dollop of good luck & my dreams!!

Thanks for reading & listening me! Putting it in writing makes it very real even when I don't want it to be & eventually it will be positive for some one else (with luck!)

 

Ian

 

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One problem many homeless people have is not being able to imagine a path out of homelessness. If my Disability case had failed, I don’t know what I would have done. I don’t know how I would have been able to find a job and housing. There are so many additional barriers that people who are housed do not have to deal with.

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15 hours ago, Freemantleman said:

People don't need grand gestures when they're having a tough time with living day to day or even hour to hour!!  it's defo the small gestures that make the biggest impact, even a hot coffee on a cold day etc .

Since I lost my house in July 2017 I've been a live in carer for my mum & given i don't meet the age  restriction for the complex (55+) as I only  recently turned 50 I'm allowed to live with her but not as a tenant but as a long term guest with no rights or tenure  but I still don't have a place of my own & feel that if I dont go with her plans or ideas she might ask me to leave & i have no legal recourse.

Realistically I know it's unlikely to happen but it could so technically I'm still homeless although I have a secure roof over my head I pay the price by being here 24/7 at her beck & call & she's not an easy lady to deal with lol & thats an understatement lol!!

It's that feeling at the back of my mind that I have to toe the line, bite my tongue & keep smiling! I want m6 own space in the end somewhere I can call MY HOME! Not hers not my partners mine then ours  with luck !?!?

I'll keep dreaming at this stage but I know I'll get there in the end through hard work,  determination, a good dollop of good luck & my dreams!!

Thanks for reading & listening me! Putting it in writing makes it very real even when I don't want it to be & eventually it will be positive for some one else (with luck!)

 

Ian

 

Stick with for now you're a stronger man you give yourself credit for, with your strength and determination thing will work out given time and I hope that it will be soon. I will be thinking of you and wish you the best of luck. 

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15 hours ago, droughtquake said:

One problem many homeless people have is not being able to imagine a path out of homelessness. If my Disability case had failed, I don’t know what I would have done. I don’t know how I would have been able to find a job and housing. There are so many additional barriers that people who are housed do not have to deal with.

That is where I have been lucky and fortunate, I not have been in the situation that homeless people find themselves in. Many people are housed after a fashion but as they do not have a home of their own they are still homeless in the true sense of the word. Those of us who don't have to face that should count our blessings for the things that we take for granted, we can never truly know what homeless people have to face no matter how much we learn. 

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Well I was sadden to hear of your father passing I am very sorry to hear it! But this chapter was most enjoyable I think it was very good!

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