I was in what they call the green room at the theater, even though it ain’t got much green in it. It’s for the actors to rest, and they have a coffee maker what that makes one cup at a time. Tom was sittin’ there sipping coffee and looking at a real magazine with paper pages an’ everything, so I didn’t disturb him.
‘Bout then, Addison come in for coffee.
She saw me and said, “Devon’s really smart for a homeless guy…”
I didn’t know what to say ‘bout that, but Tom looked up. “What’s that supposed to mean… aside from the fact that Devon’s sharp? Homeless people are not categorically dumb.”
Addison shook her head. “Wow… that came out all wrong. I mean he’s not one of the homeless people who are suffering from mental illness or PTSD or who are addicted to drugs on their way to rock-bottom.”
I played like I understood all she said, and I went back and Googled what I didn’t get later.
Tom replied. “We see a lot of the chronically homeless, and, sure… a lot of them are ill… But mental illness isn’t the whole story. A lot of people are temporarily homeless because of bad luck, loss of job… physical illness for that matter. They don’t stay homeless, but schools can tell you they have lots of kids who live bouncing from one aunt to the next with no permanent place to sleep.”
“I know,” Addison said. “I really picked bad wording. I knew an actor who spent six months couch-surfing until they found a steady job and had enough money to get a place of their own.”
Tom nodded. “When most people think of homeless people, they think of the chronically homeless who sleep in doorways and under bridges. But that’s just part of the picture.”
Addison shook her head. “I’m sorry I said that. I just meant to say something nice about him.”
Tom nodded and looked back at his magazine. “No harm done.”
That’s about all from that discussion. Something else though…
Hannah sent me a message and me an’ her are going to go get pizza tonight. Devon an’ Merritt will have to make a meal for themselves.
It’ll be a fun night for me and her.
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