Beyond the Signs – Connections

Chapter 5

Connections

Everyone needs someone to talk to, someone who will listen, hopefully someone who has been there and done that. It is very difficult to find the latter; many people have confronted similar situations but never with quite the same circumstances. Many people modify their stories to make themselves appear to be in-the-know but at the same time, making a total fool of themselves in the eyes of someone who actually has the experience. This is true in many instances, not just homelessness.

Homeless persons share a unique bond, similar to soldiers. I often refer being homeless as very similar to soldiers because of the intense and difficult living situations that arise. While it’s true that homeless persons generally are not subject to intense violence, the bond between them differs only slightly from a platoon or battalion.

Communication is important among homeless persons as it is a military action. Homeless persons depend on one another when it comes to streaming important information from one camp to another or even beyond. This is especially true as bad weather approaches and special preparation must take place.

Usually, at least one person within a certain area of homeless camps has a cellular telephone in his or her possession to gather important information or obtain police or medical help when and if needed. A radio is also an important communication device among homeless persons. Such things as upcoming weather conditions play a major part in preparation, as do local emergency activities. Keeping up on the news is important. Therefore many times one person will purchase a newspaper and pass it along for others to read.

Now for the sticky part: Once a person gets off the streets and once again enters ‘normal’ society, all the previous contacts and connections seem to disappear. For me, it was almost like the persons I knew on the streets wanted nothing to do with me. Was it jealously? Was it low self-esteem? I don’t know. It seemed like the persons whom I spent so many days and nights with, the ones who struggled right along beside me, walked the other direction as I either stepped off the bus or from a vehicle. In fact, there were many stories that suddenly cropped up that seemed almost like some sort of an injunction against me. This in itself is sad, due to the bond we had built amongst ourselves through those horrible years.

Until Next Time,
Kirk Toncray
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