Musings

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Homeless

Jim is seen every morning at McDonald's. He gets the sausage, egg, & cheese biscuit, 2 for $1, and coffee. He eats one biscuit and saves the other for his small dog, waiting in his old van outside. A nice, quiet, gentile little dog that does not bark. Jim gets an income as a photographer by selling his photos to St Augustine tourists. He is about 68 years old, grey hair, thin build and intelligent. He has lived for 15 years at Pacetti's Trailer Park, about 7 miles from Green Cove Springs and drives in every day to McDonald's. The trip from there to St Augustine is 30 miles. He recently had to endure a lot rental increase that strained his resources. About four years ago he financed the purchase of a trailer for $9,000. He still owes $2,500 and has not been able to make the payments for over five months. He tried to sell his trailer but there are no buyers. The finance company is foreclosing and he must let it go. With the increase in gasoline prices, the trips to St Augustine have become expensive. He has credit card debt over $3,000. His Plan: Live in the van, which provides him with a bed in which he can fully stretch out. Park in a St Augestine, Wallmart parking lot each night. (A method used by Clarence Thomas, Justice of the Supreme Court, when he travels in his MotorHome.) Food will be eaten on the fly so-to-speak, no room for cooking. Showers and laundry will be done at a nearby truck stop. His van is all paid up but he had to choose one shorter than he would have liked. He bought what he could afford. He has recently serviced it for tires, brakes, tuneup, etc. He says he does not want his new home to become incapitated. He has window screens for the summer. I asked him what he would do if it got cold at night. His response, "Be cold." He has rented a storage unit 5'x10'x10', for 500 cubic feet of space. He keeps his photography equipment, fishing gear, books, memorabila, etc. in it. No furniture, that stays with the trailer as does the washer and dryer. He will be able to control his expenses so that he can pay off his credit cards. He hopes to save enough in the future to buy a larger van for additional comfort. Here is the question: Is Jim truely a homeless person? Home means many things to different people, especially politicians. Will he be numbered in the agregate of the "homeless"? His standard of living is quite good compared to that of others. He will not go hungry, nor will his dog. There are some comforts that are unavailable to him, but there is a freedom that few have. He does not feel sorry for himself, but has decided to live within his means. Renting a lot on which to park a home is beyond his means, and this is the course he has chosen in order to get by. I don't believe I will see Jim again because his last day at Pacetti's is March 3rd. After that he will be living near St Augustine. I wished him well as we parted today.

12 Comments:

  • Poor guy. What a shame!

    By Blogger Monica, at 5:27 PM  

  • I wouldn't be so quick to pity. It sounds like he has his act together more than some.

    I wouldn't say he is "home"less, but perhaps "house"less.

    By Blogger Adrienne, at 10:30 PM  

  • You always have such good McDonald's stories. Every story from my visits to a McDonald's have all been horror stories...

    I would agree with Adrienne, he is not exactly homeless. Here's what I'm wondering though: what if someone from Wal-Mart picks up on the fact that he's parking there every night? How much trouble would he be in then?

    By Blogger Sean M., at 10:43 AM  

  • Adrienne, Very well put, he is houseless. Do you think he will be added to the govermental aggregate of "Homeless?"

    Sean, Jim told me there are others already parking there. But, what if this catches on and the parking lot has a great many people staying the night? Would Walmart tell them to cease, should they tell them to cease? Is this a start of present day "Hoovervilles"?

    By Blogger Marcel, at 12:48 PM  

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger John Beauregard, at 10:50 AM  

  • According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition Jim IS homeless. HUD defines a number of categories of homeless people. One fits Jim to a tee: "--an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is:-- C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodations for human beings." His van probably fits the definition so he IS homeless according to HUD and will be numbered in the aggregate of the "homeless".
    HUD does not distinguish between those forced to be homeless and those that choose to be homeless. One of my engineers at Boeing chose to live on his boat with his wife and 2 girls. He may also fit the HUD definition of homeless but that is the life they loved.

    By Blogger John Beauregard, at 10:52 AM  

  • John, Jumping ahead, then when a politician says they want to solve the homeless problem with an attempt to gain sympathy for them, the term is not as well defined as they would have us believe. I am aquainted with some people that live in a marinea on the St John river, they come to the Y and take their showers there. They love living on a boat and would not have it any other way. It is curious that some bleeding hearts will not have peace of mind until all people have "housing."

    By Blogger Marcel, at 3:02 PM  

  • Ambiguity is the dearest friend of the bleeding heart liberals. Not long ago the government needed to know the percent of single women in the US. The purpose was to show they are increasing so the government needed to provide support of some kind. At first the study showed that the percent of single women was actually shrinking over the last 5 years. So then they added-in lesbians and widows over 75 but the number was still to low. Finally they changed the definition of "women" to any female over the age of 12 to get the answer they wanted!!!

    By Blogger John Beauregard, at 3:37 PM  

  • When I am employed I would love to wrtie a check to his debtors. Someone like that deserves cherity. He is not a drunk or an adict. He is a simple man living a simple life and definitely deserves a "good deed" by someone that can help. There are "few" out in the world that just need a little kindness there way!

    By Blogger KRISTA, at 4:52 PM  

  • Getting back to the "parking at WalMart" situation.

    Walmart is a 24x7 store and their parking lot is supposed to be for customers, not sleepers. I predict that WalMart will make an issue of it at some time.

    So what to do? This actually looks like a business potential.

    Rent parking space to people who live in their vehicles. Where? How about all the dried up "drive-in" movie parking lots? They are already delineated with parking spaces. Perhaps a monthly rate can be set that is very reasonable. That would be made up in quantity. No facilities? Well, WalMart parking lot doesn't have them either.

    By Blogger Tim B., at 7:31 AM  

  • ahhh....not all Wal-Marts are 24/7. Ergo there is the time and space. But yes I think someone will eventually catch on sooner or later, but then he is on wheels and can roll in to the empty lot.

    Also, this gentleman doesn't sound like the type to be looking for your handout Krista, he sounds like a pretty self sufficient prideful person, who is just trying to make the best of the situation he is in.

    Odd, that my retirement dream is to own a motor home and travel around. Preferably to all the Major League Ball Parks. But still sorta in the same genre. Would that make me either home or house less?

    By Blogger Adrienne, at 9:09 PM  

  • Adrienne You are right, he does not ask for help and is indeed making the best of a bad situation. He has not lost hope, but hopes for better in the future.

    We are all hung-up on the word "homeless" and sissor it to fit our cultural understanding of abode. In Europe there was a word that was used for those without a permanent home, gypsy. They lived out of wagons, their mode of transportation. We need a word for people like Jim. If we get one, perhaps that is what you can call yourself while visiting all major league baseball stadiums.

    I saw Jim at McDonalds last Saturday but did not get a chance to talk to him. I was sitting at a table for four and all seats were full. He ate alone and left soon thereafter. He nodded to me as he left.

    Note: Hitler found gypsy's a blight and attempted to exterminate them.

    By Blogger Marcel, at 11:54 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home