homeless for a night
On and impulse, I told my friend, Brigette, that we were going to go downtown to be homeless for the day. It took some convincing but eventually she agreed. We put on some grungy clothes, grabbed by big brown blanket with grease stains on it, and hopped on the shuttle bus.
Our first thought was to hanout at the metro. We set up the blanket on the floor, put our paper bowl (with "$THANK YOU$" written on it) in front of us, and held up a bogus sign to support a campaign to stop decapitating planarians. I rolled up my jeans to reveal my boots in an attemp to look more the part. It didn't take long for people to start giving us strange looks. Our amusement was shortlived, however, because after about five minutes two policemen approached us and told us to get out. We could tell they meant business, "You have one chance, and one chance only," they informed us.
So we ditched the phony sign and hit the streets. After wandering around the mall for awhile, I was determined to make some money. Once on Ste-Catherine street, I wrapped up in my blanket and sat down on the sidewalk with my bowl in front of me. Brigette kept an eye on me, walking up and down the street window shopping. After about three minutes a man dropped in a dollar coin and hastily left almost before I could say thank you. It took significantly longer for the second person, also a man, to drop in a $2 coin. Shortly after this, an Asian man reached into his pocket and gave me his change.
The next person who came to me did not offer money, but assistance. he introduced himself as Christian and shook my hand, inquiring of my name. He told me he had a friend who was a social worker and asked if I had a place to stay for the night. He gave me a paper with his name and home number as well as several addresses of places I could go. he told me he knew a place where young people can stay and really seemed genuinely concerned for my well-being. Before leaving he told me if I ever needed anything I shouldn't hesitate to call him.
After he left, another man gave me his pocket change and wished me "bon chance," as he left. Next, an old crippled woman came up to me and gave me about 12 cents saying, "I don't have much, but it comes from my heart." After a bit more, Christian came back and told me his friend was here and asked if I wanted to go talk to her and fill out some paper work. I told him I had someone I thought I could stay with for the night but I would certainly keep the paper he gave me. He then gave me a $20 and said he just hoped that was enough to help me out. I thanked him profusely and told him he was very generous.
The next person came up to me with a cup of coffee he bought for me. He was shaking as he gave it to me, as if nervous I would refuse it. he also gave me a little cup of milk and a handful of sugars. "You just seem so young, and it's a nasty place out here, you know? Take care of yourself. That's an order, take care of yourself," he said. Next another man walked by me twice before stopping to ask if I wanted to go grab a bite to eat. He said we could grab a slice of pizza just down the road if I wanted. He asked about three or four times before leaving still looking a little concerned. I thanked him a lot but had to decline his offer as that would have been getting a little too involved.
There was only one person who was rude to me. After the first man gave me a dollar, two guys came up to me (in there early 20s) and one tapped his cigarette ashes into my bowl.
Overall, this really opened my eyes to another way of living. Just one night on the streets and I experienced first hand how friendly and caring the people of montreal can be. I was shocked by how much some people went out of their way to help me. Of course there were those who just pretended I wasnt' there, but there were also those who looked at me with such sympathy in their eyes. I could tell that they really felt for my but still kept walking. Others acknowledged me with a nod of the head or a smile. the interacitons that I had really blew my mind. It is certainly an experience that will stay with me for life. the money I earned ($24.62) I intend to give to other homeless people hoping it will make them as happy as it has made me.
Our first thought was to hanout at the metro. We set up the blanket on the floor, put our paper bowl (with "$THANK YOU$" written on it) in front of us, and held up a bogus sign to support a campaign to stop decapitating planarians. I rolled up my jeans to reveal my boots in an attemp to look more the part. It didn't take long for people to start giving us strange looks. Our amusement was shortlived, however, because after about five minutes two policemen approached us and told us to get out. We could tell they meant business, "You have one chance, and one chance only," they informed us.
So we ditched the phony sign and hit the streets. After wandering around the mall for awhile, I was determined to make some money. Once on Ste-Catherine street, I wrapped up in my blanket and sat down on the sidewalk with my bowl in front of me. Brigette kept an eye on me, walking up and down the street window shopping. After about three minutes a man dropped in a dollar coin and hastily left almost before I could say thank you. It took significantly longer for the second person, also a man, to drop in a $2 coin. Shortly after this, an Asian man reached into his pocket and gave me his change.
The next person who came to me did not offer money, but assistance. he introduced himself as Christian and shook my hand, inquiring of my name. He told me he had a friend who was a social worker and asked if I had a place to stay for the night. He gave me a paper with his name and home number as well as several addresses of places I could go. he told me he knew a place where young people can stay and really seemed genuinely concerned for my well-being. Before leaving he told me if I ever needed anything I shouldn't hesitate to call him.
After he left, another man gave me his pocket change and wished me "bon chance," as he left. Next, an old crippled woman came up to me and gave me about 12 cents saying, "I don't have much, but it comes from my heart." After a bit more, Christian came back and told me his friend was here and asked if I wanted to go talk to her and fill out some paper work. I told him I had someone I thought I could stay with for the night but I would certainly keep the paper he gave me. He then gave me a $20 and said he just hoped that was enough to help me out. I thanked him profusely and told him he was very generous.
The next person came up to me with a cup of coffee he bought for me. He was shaking as he gave it to me, as if nervous I would refuse it. he also gave me a little cup of milk and a handful of sugars. "You just seem so young, and it's a nasty place out here, you know? Take care of yourself. That's an order, take care of yourself," he said. Next another man walked by me twice before stopping to ask if I wanted to go grab a bite to eat. He said we could grab a slice of pizza just down the road if I wanted. He asked about three or four times before leaving still looking a little concerned. I thanked him a lot but had to decline his offer as that would have been getting a little too involved.
There was only one person who was rude to me. After the first man gave me a dollar, two guys came up to me (in there early 20s) and one tapped his cigarette ashes into my bowl.
Overall, this really opened my eyes to another way of living. Just one night on the streets and I experienced first hand how friendly and caring the people of montreal can be. I was shocked by how much some people went out of their way to help me. Of course there were those who just pretended I wasnt' there, but there were also those who looked at me with such sympathy in their eyes. I could tell that they really felt for my but still kept walking. Others acknowledged me with a nod of the head or a smile. the interacitons that I had really blew my mind. It is certainly an experience that will stay with me for life. the money I earned ($24.62) I intend to give to other homeless people hoping it will make them as happy as it has made me.