Street Stories

Weblog of Seattle minister to the homeless Rick Reynolds, Operation Nightwatch

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Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

Caring for human beings seems like the best use of my time, homeless or not.

Friday, February 10, 2017

gomer



Last night an ancient one, barely able to walk



   shuffled across the wet sidewalk



      to the front door of Nightwatch.



His cab ride was paid for



     by an exasperated hospital social worker.



The hospital didn’t want him.



The shelters are all full.



The boarding house with cheap rent is torn down.



He has no friend to call.



No loving wife or sister or daughter



         with a couch, for a night or two.



He has only



    the gray-wool blanket



    given to Seattle’s phantoms.




His sick bed is the sidewalk outside my door.



gomer:  Medical slang "Get Out Of My Emergency Room.”

In the morning, I checked to see how old this old guy was. His birthday is the day after mine. He will be 64 this spring.

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