Tabatha Deans

A RAINY DAY IN THE CITY
With two stories to write and a rain falling outside, I sat down to do some serious writing. That lasted about 15 minutes before I decided a walk in the rain would clear my head and help me formulate my thoughts. I left my umbrella at the office, but donned my rain boots and hat and headed out for a jaunt around the neighborhood. The city was deserted, and since I was working on a story about the homeless, I couldn’t help but wonder where the homeless went during wet weather. I know a lot of them hang out at the public library, and I found several seeking shelter under an awning of a local church.
I couldn’t help but wonder where I would go if I were homeless. Probably the library would be my first choice. As I wandered up the street toward the hospital, I thought maybe hanging out in a hospital would be a good call as well. I know there are often waiting rooms for families that include hot coffee and sometimes donuts. It seemed like a good choice, but then I remembered that, based on the fact that I was wearing clean clothes and didn’t look homeless, I would probably be received better than some of the true homeless, wearing dirty clothes and wrapped in stained blankets and sleeping bags.
I stopped for a street light and stood on the corner pondering the “what if” of being homeless. Then, just like in the movies, an SUV came flying through the intersection, and before I had a chance to react a wall of water from a puddle the driver went through came flying toward me, soaking me from head to toe. As water dripped off my face, dirty water no less, and now covered with dirt myself, I hurried back home to the safety and warmth of my tiny apartment, ready to dive into my stories and thankful for the fact that I have skills and abilities that keep me from being homeless.

May 7, 2012 - Posted by Tabatha Stewart | Uncategorized