Friday, July 18, 2014

Robo Hobo Homo #085

Before I tell another Larry story, let me talk a bit more about Mr. McCoy. He is a pretty great guy. I don't know if I could have a bigger advocate for me in the unemployment office that doesn't feel like an unemployment office.

He is also a poster-child for the pretty libertarian ideas out here. Whenever he mentioned living in San Diego, he mentioned he had to leave he made mention of Tijuana and explained, “because trash blows up against the fence.” He clarified that he meant actual waste poured into the Pacific Ocean by Tijuana, but it didn't dispel the “dirty immigrants” implications of his initial station.

I also reordered a copy of my DD214. I have a scanned copy, but Daryl told me that a new copy would be better to have on hand. I don't think he's wrong and McCoy was the guy to get it for me. He was reluctant to have it sent to Purgatory Shelter though. Very reluctant.

We need a word that means, “eventually just shy of eventually,” or “right before the end.” Because it was at that stage in our conversation that he relented and agreed to send it there. However, when I finally checked my email on Wednesday, I saw that he had changed his mind.

I've never had a problem getting mail here. Writing this up a week later I'm still waiting for my Safelink phone, but that's not a receipt problem. Look, we're a bunch of homeless dudes, but we're just guys living in a rough circumstance. This isn't a den of thieves. This isn't Lord of the Flies. Sure, some guys are getting past drug problems and occasionally we'll get a guy who isn't past them. Sometimes, we'll get folks with intense mental problems. There are some problems here, but Purgatory House is a good place with good people in it.

I don't know if Mr. McCoy's problem comes from a personal experience or an ugly bigotry against the homeless who aren't of the anointed military caste, but his actions are a repulsive mark on an otherwise impressive and warm character.

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