This past fall, I asked Willie what he was planning to do this coming winter. Thoughtfully, he replied, “Gonna’ avoid it!”
Willie couldn’t be so lucky. No one could be so lucky as to avoid time and chance and cold, things that happen to every resident Minnesotan in the winter. And while this winter hasn’t been too tough yet, winter is never easy for the old and disabled, especially when the old and disabled makes his home in a little clump of woods.
This winter, temperatures and snow totals have been up and down, respectively. If global warming is happening for real, our homeless friends will be the ones least affected. The homeless are quick to adapt to changing conditions, and are hearty survivors when given half a chance. Then again, so is a drowning rat.
But this winter, Willie is a lucky one, because he’s being given half a chance at survival in a little clump of woods. A vehicle barrier was built recently to keep John Q. Public off nearby property (and to fence Bridal Veil Creek in?) As far as I can tell, PoPo has respectfully ignored Willie – maybe even avoided him. Now, that’s about the best luck any homeless person could ever hope to have; the Police and Public ignoring you. It means you must be keeping your nose out of business – but if you are homeless, you got no business anyway.
So what, Willie’s lost a toe or two; like he says, ‘At my age, who’s counting?’ And yeah, he’s still trying to rest his old bones in a frozen-stiff pile of bedrolls; he reminds me, ‘Just when I get all warm, it’s Rise and Shine!’
No, this winter Willie is a lucky one because he’s being given half a chance, and he has family and friends to help him!
OK, OK! Willie’s family may be all volunteers who have adopted him (like you, right?). And Willie could probably count all of his friends on one foot (now, that’s a short count!). But, Willie does have family and friends who care about him …
And that’s more than many of our homeless friends have, even given half a chance.
