He's homeless but doesn't want to be a burden to his son
Most of the stories in the Faces of Homelessness series have had happy ending or hope of ending that way. This piece from the upcoming play, "The Homeless Monologues", has neither. That doesn't make it any less compelling:
We might as well get right down to it. I’m an alcoholic. Someone once asked what was the longest I’ve been sober? I told them eleven years…from the time I was born until I was age eleven. I started with beer at age twelve and have been drinking ever since.
I have no plans to stop. I’m not even trying anymore. I’ve been to rehab a couple of time and it didn’t take. AA doesn’t work, either….at least not for me.
I’m an alcoholic. That’s what I am and will be until I die.
I guess I’m what you’d call a functioning alcoholic…at least I was at one time. Money never seemed to be a problem. I drove a truck for twenty years, But I lost my license and that job. DUI.
I could always make money playing pool. I’m pretty good at that but don’t tell anyone. It might drive business away. My son says I should move to San Diego, live on the beach and make money by playing pool with the sailors. Sounds good but don’t tell the sailors.
Oh yeah…my son. He’s the one real accomplishment in my life. The one thing I’m proud of. I raised him alone from the time he was three years old. Single dad. He’s forty now, on his own, and doing great. The only thing I care about is not being a burden to him.
I’ve been at the shelter for about a year. Before that I was homeless and lived on the street for ten years. It’s good to be inside and have a bed when it’s cold outside.
They asked if I have any goals or plans for the future? I really don’t. I’ve made and spent a lot of money in my life. I’ve lived in and lost some nice homes. I don’t need that anymore. Like I said…as long as I don’t burden my son.
Do I have any plans to leave this shelter? Not really. Maybe they’ll ask me to leave. More likely I’ll leave when they put dirt on me. I’m good with that. At least I won’t be a burden on my son.
There's a long way to go before we learn how this story plays out. We have no idea how it will end. He doesn't either. That's the way it is in the homeless world. That's the way it is in life.
Related Post: In the homeless world, everyone is different
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