People tell you to keep looking. They mean well. They imagine looking for housing means scrolling through listings over a morning coffee, sending a few messages, arranging a viewing, signing a lease, and moving in. That isn’t what it looks …
There are sentences you’re not supposed to say out loud. “I like taking my shits here.” Read that again. It’s crude. It isn’t polished. It isn’t the sort of sentence you’d expect to open a piece of journalism. It’s also …
The shower room has a motion sensor light switch. Outside. If you stop moving long enough to wash your hair, dry off, get dressed, or simply sit and organize your belongings, eventually the lights go out. Then you have two …
Someone invited me for fish and chips this morning. I wanted to go. The people inviting me weren’t offering charity. They know me. They knew me before I became homeless. They know my work, my photography, my radio background, my …
At 4:42 a.m., I called 911. By that point, my regular medications had stopped controlling the pain. It had become so severe that simply getting from my bed to the shelter door was an ordeal. Every push on my manual …
I wasn’t looking for a story. I’d finished what I needed to do for the day. I was tired. I had a few hours before the last bus, and I really didn’t feel like going back to the shelter just …
Around 1:30 a.m., the need to piss arrives before full consciousness. The bathroom has been occupied for more than ten minutes. Long enough to notice. Long enough to become irritating. The fluorescent panels have been off since eleven. Emergency lighting …
The accompanying illustration is a composite courtroom-style reconstruction based on lived experience. Architectural details, mural content, bed numbering, clock placement, and identifying characteristics have been altered or combined to protect privacy. It should not be interpreted as depicting any specific …
The Morning Everyone Knew Their Lines – A Place Called Richter Street Read more »
Three men waited for the bus at the Queensway Transit Exchange. I thought back to Charles. Earlier that evening… Yum Yum Tree. Capri Centre Mall. A large combo. Curry rice noodles. Thin. Fragile. With a sweet bite. Chop suey. Barbecue …
This morning I called the BC Housing Registry. The call lasted 13 minutes. I was told my file was active. My information was updated. My mobility needs were reviewed. We discussed walkers, wheelchairs, stairs, bathtubs, income assistance, shelters, and the …