The Homeless: Attitudes

I was lucky during my time on the streets. I never looked dishevelled. I shaved, had reasonably clean clothes and showered every day.

But being in this situation, I became more sensitive to the attitudes and reactions about me when I saw fellow OBMers at McDonald’s or on the street. And there were times it would get me into a fury.

There was a time in the McDonald’s on Ste. Catherine that was my normal morning spot. A couple came in regularly to have breakfast. They were retired and had money. One morning, there was another couple they started to chat with. One of the more dishevelled looking OBMers walked by the McDonald’s which lead to the guy to get into a tirade about the homeless.

He could not understand how they could be out on the street begging for money when they did not have any problems to worry about. They had a roof over their heads and three meals a day. The guy I was with, Ryan, just rolled his eyes but my blood started to boil.

It takes a lot to get me going, but when I do, stand back! I laced into the guy, telling him he did not know what he was talking about. He was a moron and should just shut up.

Of course this got him going. He made the mistake of asking why was I defending these lazy bums. Shaking with anger, I told him I was one of them and started to go through some of the points I have brought up in the previous blogs.

Thing is, I was wasting my time. Nothing I could say would go through his thick skull. That was when Ryan suggested we move on. Through the haze of anger, I saw he was right. And we left before I made a complete fool of myself.

As the previous blogs attest to, there are many misconceptions about the homeless. Some do not wish to change where they are. Some don’t know better. But there are some who are trying to just get by. And I still get angry when I hear people put down the homeless.

Yes, there are the bad variety. The ones who get abusive when you don’t give them any money. Who are pushy and step into your personal space. But most just stand there, hoping for a coin or two.

The problem of the homeless is a complex issue. The past few posts just scratches the surface. The reality is that here are people who have slipped through the cracks and find themselves in a shitty situation. It is bad enough that they have no control over their own lives but this gets compounded by the disdain thrown in their faces by the general public.

There are times, sitting in the Metro, going to work, when there is a homeless person sitting with his couple of bags of his only belongings. His whole world contained in a couple of plastic bags. He is slightly unkempt and a little bleary eyed.

The look of disgust and disdain angers me. I sit there, clutching my book wanting to scream out: this could be you! Many people don’t realize they are but a couple of paychecks away from possibly living in a shelter.

They had no idea who he is and how he got there. I suppose being the prejudiced people we all are, we like to have someone to look down on. Looking at the homeless makes us feel better. I may have problems but at least I am not him.

And the homeless provides a salve for the average person. During Christmas time, people give generously to the shelters and the panhandlers. A salve to get them through the year because they did some good for those who are under-privileged. An absolution for the guilt bottled in them.

Since I have gotten my life back on track, I am involved with different things, including a soup kitchen in Verdun. One thing has stuck in my mind that, to me, encapsulates what people should be doing.

One time, I was behind the counter, serving up the meals. A young man came in, nervous, furtive and confused. I served him, smiled and said: enjoy. A ghost of a smile came to his face. He wolfed down his food. It was obvious he had not eaten in some time. Then he came back and sheepishly asked if he could have more.

Since we had more than enough, not a problem. He was taken aback but it seemed as if a little of the worry in him sluiced out. And there was a ghost of a smile.

As he was finishing his second plate, I went out to have a cigarette. He came out in a bit. When he saw me smoking, he cautiously asked if he could have a cigarette. Sure, no problem and I gave him a couple. Finally a smile came to his face. As he walked away, he was not moving as if the weight of the world was on him.

The homeless are marginalized. They are on the fringe of society. Often all they want is to be acknowledged as a human being not a thing. If you have no money or don’t want to give any, all you have to do is smile and say sorry. That short exchange can do wonders. Something money can’t buy.