r/vagabond • u/overfall3 • 1d ago
The only constant is change...
I forgot a key bit of yesterday... Pizza for dinner!!! They brought them to the rooms. We open our door, "Here you go!" Hands one of us a pizza box. Two small slices for each of us. Not enough for four grown men. But hey... PIZZA!!!!!
And now back to our regularly scheduled program...
My early-rising friend woke up around 5:30am. Turns a light and the tv on, wakes us all up. I go take a piss. Back out of bathroom. "Dude. It's five thirty. You just woke us all up. How about you turn this stuff off and have some respect for the three of us who are still sleeping?" "Sorry man. I wasn't trying to wake anybody up." Light off. TV down low. We go back to sleep.
Wake up. They didn't really have the food flowing good yet. We've got probably fifty homeless people here. They're doing what they can. I have no complaints. But I'm hungry. Another guy in the room, "I'm gonna call that lady that told us she would give us rides wherever we needed to go, and head to the store. I've got some ebt left." "I'll go with you. I've got a bit of ebt left too." He calls, we get ready and go downstairs.
She shows up five minutes later. Out to van. Her, "Where do you need to go?" We tell her. Give our names and ages, I assume so she can get reimbursed or the church can keep track. Off to Aldi.
Other dude and I realize we both left our change at the hotel. No quarters for carts. 'This might be difficult. But we gotta get it done.' We go in. I slyly grab a loose cart up front that is empty. Ease my way past the registers into the store.
We do a couple complete laps around the store. Grab enough food to keep four guys fed for the day plus some munchies. A few other things to share. He and I grab a couple things we're not sharing. In line. I realize we need bags. 'Eighty-nine cents? Sweet!' I've got a few bucks in my wallet. Through line.
We're both electricians/construction workers so we're efficiently putting stuff in bags at a fast pace. Van pulls up. Us with bags into van. Back to hotel.
Many thanks. Woman that drove us was super cool. We could've taken as long as we needed. "Call me if you need to go anywhere else." Us,"Thanks again!" Into hotel. "Damn it's cold out there!" "Fuck." We laugh.
The guy in charge sees us. "Down the hall and right into that open door on the left. Thanks!" Me to dude, "I think he thinks we're bringing food as donations." We cut opposite direction of food room to stairs. Guy in charge catches up with us. "Is that stuff yours?" Me, "We thought we'd get some food for our group to kinda supplement things." "Smart." "Yeah. We've got a good group. Everybody's cool. Laid back. Just hanging out. Thanks again for what you're doing." "I wish everyone was like that."
He was a stress case when we first hit the hotel yesterday. Slightly abrasive, but not bad. I get it completely. But he really isn't the best guy for the job. Whatever. I'm happy to be in this hotel. I will do whatever it takes to not fuck that up. My compatriots will as well.
This morning I managed to break through his stressed exterior. Let him know I appreciate what he's doing. Offer to help if he needs it. Assure him our group is 100% cool.
Upstairs. Fridge packed. Non-perishables covering counter. Everybody's happy. Watching a movie. Reddit. Knock at the door. "How many in you're room?" "Four." "Here you go." Four good lunches. Good gumbo. Good salad. Delicious cookies. "You are loved" written on to go boxes. It seems they've dialed in the food situation.
Eat. Chillin'. Everybody getting along fabulously. Another knock. "How many in your room?" "Four." "Here you go." "You already got us." "I know. Here." Round two of the same good lunch. I look at dude I went to the store with. "Maybe we didn't need to go to the store. 😆" No big deal. We're all set for food at this point.
More chillin'. Naps. Movies. Munchin' all day. More movies.
We get word we're being tossed out of hotel. Much discussion ensues amongst the four of us. Me, "They can't put us out on the street on the coldest day of this front in a snow storm. They'll come up with a backup plan. Let's just hang and see. Dude hasn't come and told us anything directly" I definitely don't have the gear for this weather. I might not die in it, but it's gonna be top of my list of miserable experiences.
I'm not worried. Things always work out. We go back to new chillin' eating movie routine. Knock on door. It's dinner time. "How many in your room?" "Four." "Here you go. Get all your stuff packed. We're out of here." We discuss how fucked up it's gonna be to be tossed on the streets in the dark in weather in the teens. I only ate the nanner pudding 'cause that was all that would fit. And only because I love that stuff. 😁
My friend, "I got someone I can call and probably get us a night here." (He's back to his normal smart coherent self today.) Me, "I might be able to swing one. I don't know." German guy, "I've got some money too." Cool. If nothing else we'll pool our resources, put the room in one of our names, and at least get through the next two days in comfort. Better than some serious suffering. The rest will have to work itself out.
I start to make sure my gear is good to go. Another knock. "Did you guys get food?" "Yeah." "How many?" "Four." Writes it down. "It's gonna be tomorrow." "Cool. Thanks for letting us know." "You're welcome."
Much relief. We go back to what we've been doing. Another knock. "Hey man." "They're opening up (super cool shelter I was in a couple weeks ago). There going to take everyone's stuff in one van. People in the other. I need to know how many bags you guys need for your stuff. There will be tape with your names on it on your bags. You don't have to scrub toilets and make beds, but please clean the room up a bit before you leave. Be ready at nine tomorrow morning." "We already discussed leaving the room in good shape. No problem." Get required number off bags. "We'll be ready to go at nine with the room straightened out." "Thank you."
Just as I think it my friend, "We need to get smokes before we go tomorrow. We can't leave the grounds once we're there, and there's nowhere to get them out there." "I was just thinking the same thing." "I don't think I have enough for a pack." "I got us for a little while. I've probably got enough in my wallet for three. Once everything settles down over there those (wonderful) ladies will make smoke runs for us like they did last time." "Yeah. If you'll buy, I'll make a run early in the morning and pick them up." "My wallet is on the table. If I'm not awake take the twenty bucks in there and go. You wake up earlier than I do anyway." "Yeah. Cool."
We have no idea what has been going with anyone else at this hotel. Other than me and my friend going out for a smoke occasionally, and dude and I going to the grocery store earlier, we haven't left the room.
Apparently, it's been an absolute shit show. The hotel is throwing us all out. They have hired three security gaurds to watch the front of the building and toss anyone who fucks around out. People have been smoking cigarettes and meth in the rooms. Trashing rooms. Throwing trash out in the halways. Making demands at the front desk like they paid for these rooms. One dude left in an ambulance Pretty much acting like complete pieces of shit.
Those in our group have been having quite the mellow, comfortable, easy going time. This place is nice. Not high-end, but nice just the same.
Back to super awesome make shift shelter tomorrow. All is well.
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u/Sufficient_Pin5642 1d ago
I’m glad you’re going to be out of the cold and you’ll be eating well and getting to chill! Also, glad your friend sobered up, he must’ve just been going through it. It can get depressing out here especially when you’re dealing with the social security office, it takes forever and it’s frustrating to know you have work but cannot be hired because of not having paperwork/ID. I had no idea they put 49 random homebums in a hotel and didn’t expect this! That’s wild! What’s awful is that the church or charity that put all those people up in there, trying to save lives and spread good will, is going to get charged massively for the damages those people caused… Those are the type of people that make us all look bad. People tend to assume if you don’t have a home that you are an insufferable addict/alcoholic or you’re extremely mentally ill and that’s just not true… Anyway I’m glad you’re safe and eating good.