Love Among the Ruins

Every morning on my way into work, and every evening on my way home, I see this homeless couple stationed outside of Home Depot with a sign that reads something like: "We don't have any excuses, just down on our luck..." And I always have this urge to stop and ask them what the fuck happened to them.

Now call me ignorant, but when I see a homeless black person I don't think twice about it. Of course they're homeless- I'm never shocked. But this couple is white, and that baffles me. Why are THEY homeless? Don't white folks own the world?

And not only are they white, but they look young- definitely not over 40. Why are they homeless? Do they not have any employable skills? Especially him (double standard, I know); at the very least that fool should try his hand at some manual labor to put a roof over their heads and food on the table. There's no shame in tarring roofs all day if at the end of the week you get a nice paycheck to help you get off the streets.

Have they no family to lend a hand? No one to take them in for a little bit until they get back on their feet? Someone to say, "Hey, they're looking for a guy in the mail room in my office. You interested?" Why not? Fast food places are always hiring. At McDonald's, not only would they get a paycheck, but they'd be guaranteed one meal a day, plus unlimited coffee/soda breaks.

Why are they homeless?

Of course my Jaded voice chimes in sometimes and says to me, "You know why they're homeless. They're probably crackheads, and if you give them any money it will go to crack. And don't even bother giving them your granola bar. Crackheads only want cash money."

While this may be the case, it doesn't stop me from wanting to stop and know their story. "Why are you here?" I want to ask. "Why are you here?"

But besides all that, in the face of so many lonely nights this winter where all I will have to look forward to is watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls online and eating enchiladas from my local Mexican joint, I want to know HOW they manage to stay together...

*smooches...actually jealous of a homeless couple*
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Oh twice as much aint twice as good
And can't sustain like a one half could
It's wanting more
That's gonna send me to my knees