Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Post X


6/29/11 @ 11:25pm

It’s been seven days since my last diary entry…and boy have some things happened.  Well, I’ll go back to the 25th. 

I had been apartment hunting, it was a Saturday, and it was day two of the shopping experience.  Friday the 24th had gone well.  I felt that I had found a place.  It was off Colorado Blvd, a studio that measured 425 square feet; it had a little fire-place, and was cool.  It was a bit on the small side, but the location was great, the building was nice, and I felt at home during the viewing and stuff.  Friday was a hot day, and I remember my overflow for my radiator was boiling after I looked at the studio, but I didn’t think anything of it, just that it was a hot day.  I went to work with no problem on that hot Friday, and got back to the shelter with no problem.

Addendum 

Saturday, the 24th was the kicker.  I had gone out again before work (at the treatment center/group home) to go apartment hunting.  I ended up in this real “hood” area, and I knew I didn’t want to rent there, but still wanted to check it out.  The day was real, real hot, and the car was doing fine.  I backed in to a parking space at what I thought was the apartment leasing center.  It ended up not being the leasing center, and I was getting tired, so I thought forget it, this ain’t what I want anyway, so let’s keep it movin’.  I got in the car, and it tried to turn over, but it wouldn’t.  I thought no problem, let’s try it again—same result, but with less power.  I was thinking damn, I hope the radiator is not dry, and the starter is ok.  I popped the hood, the radiator was full, and there wasn’t a problem with the starter.  I tried a third time, and I got nothing!  I panicked, froze up, and tried to call on The Most High to help.  But it was to no avail, it wouldn’t start.  It was getting late, so I called my job and informed them about the situation. 

I ended up calling my ex as well as my best friend in Omaha, because I was beside myself.  I needed my car; the job was like 25-30 miles from where I was staying.  It was also the one thing that kept my sanity about my homeless situation.  Besides all that I had a box of poetry in the trunk along with all my clothes and belongings.  The other thing was I only had about $175 to my name.  I decided to break down and call for a tow truck.  The good thing about the tow was it was only $50.  An African brother picked me up; I believe he was from Ethiopia.  He took me to a shop where another African brother took a look.  I was hoping and praying it was the starter…please, please, please, just be the starter!  But just my luck, the engine had gone bad—I was shit out of luck—damn!

The next step was trying to figure out what to do.  I was seriously debating buying a bus ticket back to Omaha, or to the Pacific Ocean.  I was done; my mentality was spiraling down, down, down.  I quickly took a mental step back and thought—if this is rock bottom, then fuck it, its rock bottom.  This car is the last thing that remains from a former life that you wanted to change, brotha, you can let it go, and be ok.  I saw a sign that they bought junk cars, and asked, how much for this junk car man?  He made a call, and another African brotha with a tow truck came and gave me $450 for the car.  I was stuck; I had boxes, a suitcase, and a saxophone to try and find a new home for.  I called the brother who was the director at the school to see if he could help me out—Give Thanks—he said I could store my stuff at the school.  That was peace; the only issue I had to work out now was getting all the stuff down to the school, 30 miles north.  Fortunately there was a luxury cabbie there with a Lincoln Town car who offered to take me to 5 Points for the low low.  I was good.  We threw my stuff in his trunk, and he took me down to the school.  I stored my stuff right under the steps, just outside the school, and prayed that no one would mess with it.  I paid the cabbie, and hopped the light rail back to the shelter. 
I was in trouble, I had to be to work the next day, and I didn’t know how I would get out to the place.  I got to the shelter and the men were supportive, and didn’t let me get down on myself.  They told me how to get out to the job by bus, which was exactly what I needed.  So I knew how to get out to work, but I didn’t know how to get back.  See the issue was timing, I worked from 3pm-12am, so getting there was no problem, but getting back would be the issue.  I knew that I had to go to work, if I was going to stay in Denver, and I wanted to stay, so I decided to get to work and figure out a way to get back to the shelter.

Sunday the 25th was the day The Most High answered my call.  I rode the bus to work and all was fine.  I had completed my training shifts and I worked in a cottage.  I really don’t recall what cottage it was; I just knew that I had completed my training shifts.  The girls were cool, they hadn’t given me a bunch of drama, but I was focused on a way to get home.  I had a couple of options on how to get back the shelter.  One, I could take a cab to the bus stop, which was the cheapest route, or I could take a cab to a hotel room which would be closer to the job, or I could big ball and take a cab like 25 miles back to the shelter.  In any case I knew that a cab would be in order. 

I called for two cabs, and the first to show up was truly Divine Order.  It was a Metro Cab, and the guy was real cool.  He asked where I needed to go and I told him the bus stop that was like 8 miles away.  I got to talking and telling him that I was headed to downtown Denver, and he said he would take me for $25!  I was like hell yea!!  I was really tired, and I got to running my mouth about working at the treatment center/group home, moving to Denver, becoming homeless, and my car dying the day before.  Now I’m not sure what made this man respond to me the way he did, but he told me that he and his wife were looking for a roommate.  I couldn’t believe it. He asked if I was interested, and I was like yea, I’m damn sure interested.  The beautiful thing was that he was within walking distance to my job.  Granted walking distance was considered around four miles, but four was hella better than thirty. 

What made me trust this guy—I don’t know, I just felt like he could be trusted.  He took me by where the light rail was, and how to get to his house.  His name is JR, and he is a person The Most High sent to help me out!  He is hella cool, his wife is great, the house is wonderful, and the room I have, has its own bathroom.  I was and still am, in heaven.  On Sunday June 25th, I officially stopped being a part of the homeless population, and re-entered the general population. 

I have been here ever since, living side by side with my roomies, and haven’t had any problems.  They are older than me, which is good, they are very accepting, and great people.  I cannot say enough good things about my roommates.

So this is where things stand.  I’m here in Aurora, a few miles from my job, easy access to the bus and light rail, happy and un-homeless.  I’ll be here for a while.  I’m not making any plans on changing my location or anything like that.  I have a roof over my head, that is stable and wonderful, two great roommates, two jobs that I love, so I’m good.  But keep reading, the story does continue.  This is just the end of June….I still got much more story in me, my adventure is not done yet!!!  I Give Thanks for all the Blessings The Most High has graced me with, and am glad to be a loyal servant to The Most High!