The Official Homeless Adult Recovery Kit
Results may vary. Housing definitely not included.
Some people imagine homelessness as a single thing.
It isn’t.
Today it looked like a hot fudge sundae from Dairy Queen because I’m an adult and nobody can stop me.
It looked like a black cat named Courage demanding chin scratches while I tried to rest my hands.
It looked like prescribed medication, a little legal cannabis, and a determination to manage pain without making things worse.
It looked like sunscreen rubbed in so thoroughly that a cyclist stopped to tell me I looked great, apparently unaware that I don’t currently have a home.
It looked like a cheeseburger, poutine, buses, lockers, shelter logistics, housing searches, and trying to figure out where I’ll be sleeping next week.
The funny thing is that two different people today told me I didn’t look homeless.
I’m never quite sure what that’s supposed to mean.
Homelessness doesn’t have a uniform.
Sometimes it looks like someone sleeping rough.
Sometimes it looks like someone waiting for a bus with a phone, a camera, a sense of humour, and too much sunscreen.
So for anyone keeping score, today’s Official Homeless Adult Recovery Kit contained:
- One shelter bed
- One hot fudge sundae (consumed earlier)
- One black cat named Courage
- Prescribed medication
- Excessive sunscreen
- Questionable life decisions
- A stubborn refusal to quit
Results may vary.
Batteries not included.
Housing definitely not included.
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