“I can’t personally help her, Darlene, but I can go to the parking lot where people are waiting for the chance to get onto the ships and ask if they have a program for Beth,” Danny explained to Beth.
“I haven’t been up there yet, Danny. Are there a lot of people still waiting to get onto the ships?” Darlene asked.
“It is hard to fathom. The parking lot has become a huge homeless encampment of people waiting their turn. There must be 300 people camping out there. It is an ideal place to wait, as they have three meals a day, a place to sit to eat it, trash cans, plenty of water, toilets and handwashes and it is kept pretty clean, actually.” Danny saw, out of the corner of his eye, a heavy set man roll up his shirt, take up a needle and suck the heroin out of a spoon and inject it into his arm. At first a rapturous look came over his face and then he just keeled over, face first!
Danny jumped up and grabbed his phone and dialed 911. He rushed over to the man and checked his pulse. There was no pulse and no breathing and Danny laid him on his back and started chest compressions. He continued working on the man until the EMTs got there. Danny had gotten no response. The man was wheeled into the waiting ambulance and rushed to the hospital
Danny was still sitting there, contemplating what just happened when Darlene came over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Don't take it too hard, Danny,” she said softly. “He knew what he was doing and several of us have tried to get him to slow down, but he wasn’t happy and that was his way of escaping. I know it is shocking and sad watching someone throw away their life, but you have to come to terms with it and accept that death is a part of life.” Darlene smiled at him and extended her hand to help him to his feet. “Now, if you can go check on the possibility of programs for the mentally ill, I would sure appreciate it!”
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Danny looked at Darlene and looked as if he had just woken from a dream and said, “Oh, right! I will come back and report to you as soon as I find out,” and he left the warehouse. Danny thought as he walked, “We are prepared all of our lives to grow up, go to school, then get a job, marry, have children, buy a house and go to PTA meetings and so on, but who gets prepared for this? Medical bills or divorce or inflation without higher wages, or a drug addiction that escalates can all cause you to lose your home and everything you own and you start living on the streets, chased from this place to that with nowhere to go.” And he shook his head, sadly.
Tina’s mom looked really cute in her new hairstyle and cut! Tina had actually never seen her mom smile so much. It made her happy to see her mom happy.She had attended her first day at school on the ship. It was very informal, as Gloria was the only teacher for the elementary school students at the moment. She assigned the kids to go to the library and find a book to read about history and then do a report on it. They would get together after lunch again and then would have their exercise time at one of the ship’s pools. Tina was so excited! It had been a long time since she had had a chance to swim! Her mom helped her get ready to swim. When her mom pulled out Tina’s drawer to get her bathing suit, she saw an odd sight. There was Tina’s pink shirt, bulging like there was something in it! Her mom opened the shirt and found ten dinner rolls!
Tina’s mom didn’t have to ask her why they were there. Living on the streets had taught Tina one thing, if there was extra, put it away for later! Tina’s mom had to explain to her that they were in a different situation now and there were three square meals every day, so she didn’t need to fear lack of food, anymore.