****NAMES CHANGED TO PROTECT PORTLAND'S STREET KIDS*****
We sleep in until
10am. When we wake up there are a few shelter kids sitting at the
picnic table next to us. I wave but don't say anything to them. I am
not a morning person; I do not like to talk to people in the morning; I hardly even converse with Kitten Lady.
The day begins with a hunt for Houdini because KL is in a panic not
having her dose and needing at least a rinse to make it through the morning.
A little Asian guy
who works in one of the food courts asks me if we've had anything to
eat. When I shake my head he tells me to wait and he'll make us
breakfast. He brings out two things of chicken and rice. He even asks
me what our names are. When I say them he repeats them. He tells me
to be safe.
It is the moments
like this that keep me going when the going gets tough.There is something to being acknowledged as a human being when you've been invisible for so long.
After we find
Houdini we have to find a bathroom which proves even more difficult.
When we attempt to go into Baja Fresh to pee the lady that owns the
restaurant actually chases us out threatening to call the police. I
find that unbelievable. All we wanted to do was pee (and okay, KL
wanted to shoot up but we didn't say that) and she chases us out and calls the police on us
when all we did is respectfully try to use the bathroom. Day Program #2 told us
we couldn't use their bathrooms because KL "takes too long". I'm half tempted to pee on either
their door step or Baja Fresh's door step.
I get separated
from KL and Houdini which is just as well. I eat my chicken and rice and offer
some of it to Spencer who apparently doesn't want it. I am so thankful
for this meal. I don't even have the words to express it. I haven't
had street cart food in 6 months. I used to live for it. In Portland
Street Carts are the best food you can get for the best price. I used
to eat out of them several times a week and many of the carts have developed into comfort foods for me. Something about having so many street carts at your disposal like that makes me feel more at home. Having good food like that
handed to me is like being back in my old life for a brief minute.
I go down to City Hall to check on Cameron and Hungry. He tells me he is ending his hunger strike tomorrow as he and the city have reached a compromise. He doesn't offer a whole lot of details but it makes me happy to know that an agreement is finally being worked out. The atmosphere on the streets have been very tense. I'm intrigued to see what has changed, if anything. He says there will be a press conference at 10am tomorrow. I promise to try and make it.
I find KL and Houdini back at the food courts where we slept. It's almost time for the day programs to open for lunch. We go to #2 for lunch where I find a change of clothes in the clothing closet and take a shower. I let Spencer sit outside my shower and he sleeps on the pile of dirty towels that have accumulated there from homeless kids too lazy to bring their towels out to laundry.
After my shower I sit and read while I wait for KL to finish hers. She vomits all over the bathroom. Houdini gets news that his best friend died of an overdose in a bathroom inside the mall. He was 20 years old. He had been kicked out of shelter because he overdosed at one point and fell down the stairs. He had been dead for hours before he was found. KL sobs at the news. We all just saw him a few days ago. He had just come out of treatment. He had come to Portland from New York, without any family. Now he has died alone in a bathroom in another state where he has no one. There is no word of whether anyone will hold any form of memorial service for him or claim him.
We try to sell clothes at the Buffalo Exchange but they don't take anything. I then decide it is time to take Spencer home to his uncle. We get to the apartment without an issues. I smother him with kisses and change my shirt before I run out the door. I have to get back downtown before my bus ticket expires. I can't afford to buy another one.
I go to McDonalds where I buy an ice cream. The manager I called a pussy takes my order but doesn't do anything besides smile to me. He almost laughs. I think we've come to an understanding now. I don't hold a grudge against him.
Right before it's time to head into shelter KL and Houdini show up. She had gone off with a family friend who has decided to let her stay there at least for the night. The "aunt" as KL calls her bought her and Houdini a bunch of snacks. I eat some of them as I'm starving. Besides the chicken and rice I really haven't eaten at all.
In shelter we have house meeting. I'm nominated and then chosen before I can even realize what's happened to lead next week's house meeting. I don't think these kids even know what they just did. After the meeting I clean out of my locker so that I can organize the clothes I've brought back from Savior Man's house. I feel better when I realize I'm not the only one doing a mass locker clean out when the pregnant girl in my dorm is doing the same.
She's not Vampire Girl's version of pregnant. She is about to burst pregnant. Her son is due in two months but because she is diabetic he might be born early. His head is already facing down. She shows me his pictures from a recent ultra sound. It's definitely a real baby. She is eighteen years old, diabetic, pregnant and homeless. I can't even imagine what it is like to be her right now. I would be scared shitless.
Once I've showered and cleaned up my locker I sit in bed and work on blog posts until I can no longer keep my eyes open. I have nightmares but when I wake up I don't really remember them.
I go down to City Hall to check on Cameron and Hungry. He tells me he is ending his hunger strike tomorrow as he and the city have reached a compromise. He doesn't offer a whole lot of details but it makes me happy to know that an agreement is finally being worked out. The atmosphere on the streets have been very tense. I'm intrigued to see what has changed, if anything. He says there will be a press conference at 10am tomorrow. I promise to try and make it.
I find KL and Houdini back at the food courts where we slept. It's almost time for the day programs to open for lunch. We go to #2 for lunch where I find a change of clothes in the clothing closet and take a shower. I let Spencer sit outside my shower and he sleeps on the pile of dirty towels that have accumulated there from homeless kids too lazy to bring their towels out to laundry.
After my shower I sit and read while I wait for KL to finish hers. She vomits all over the bathroom. Houdini gets news that his best friend died of an overdose in a bathroom inside the mall. He was 20 years old. He had been kicked out of shelter because he overdosed at one point and fell down the stairs. He had been dead for hours before he was found. KL sobs at the news. We all just saw him a few days ago. He had just come out of treatment. He had come to Portland from New York, without any family. Now he has died alone in a bathroom in another state where he has no one. There is no word of whether anyone will hold any form of memorial service for him or claim him.
We try to sell clothes at the Buffalo Exchange but they don't take anything. I then decide it is time to take Spencer home to his uncle. We get to the apartment without an issues. I smother him with kisses and change my shirt before I run out the door. I have to get back downtown before my bus ticket expires. I can't afford to buy another one.
I go to McDonalds where I buy an ice cream. The manager I called a pussy takes my order but doesn't do anything besides smile to me. He almost laughs. I think we've come to an understanding now. I don't hold a grudge against him.
Right before it's time to head into shelter KL and Houdini show up. She had gone off with a family friend who has decided to let her stay there at least for the night. The "aunt" as KL calls her bought her and Houdini a bunch of snacks. I eat some of them as I'm starving. Besides the chicken and rice I really haven't eaten at all.
In shelter we have house meeting. I'm nominated and then chosen before I can even realize what's happened to lead next week's house meeting. I don't think these kids even know what they just did. After the meeting I clean out of my locker so that I can organize the clothes I've brought back from Savior Man's house. I feel better when I realize I'm not the only one doing a mass locker clean out when the pregnant girl in my dorm is doing the same.
She's not Vampire Girl's version of pregnant. She is about to burst pregnant. Her son is due in two months but because she is diabetic he might be born early. His head is already facing down. She shows me his pictures from a recent ultra sound. It's definitely a real baby. She is eighteen years old, diabetic, pregnant and homeless. I can't even imagine what it is like to be her right now. I would be scared shitless.
Once I've showered and cleaned up my locker I sit in bed and work on blog posts until I can no longer keep my eyes open. I have nightmares but when I wake up I don't really remember them.
--mm
No comments:
Post a Comment