PLEASE MEET COLE:
Another rainy Seattle afternoon. Another industrial street. Another panorama of political and social failure. There’s a line of dilapidated RVs, tents, and tarps. Left-behinds of the Great Society. There’s graffiti and city evacuation notices. Anxiety and an upcoming sweep. Trucks blast by inches from the troubled tents and tarps. Generators drone. The mud plank walkways always lead to the dark backside entrance. By the blackberry bushes, chain-links, and razor wire. An outsider’s welcomeness here is quickly discerned. All routine, except for Cole. We’d never met. I knocked on the door.
Cole is 25. A Washington native, born to abusive parents. An alcoholic mother. Cole was taken into foster care at age 6. His home would change constantly until age 18. He hated it. The tall fit young man opened the RV door, crouching as he stepped out. Soft spoken but confident, our conversation started awkwardly. “I’m a generous and kind man. People take advantage of that. I’ll fight if I have too. But I’m not a fighter.” At age 7 his caregivers believed he was possessed by spirits. An exorcism was performed. “To this day I am horrified of things like ghosts or scary movies.” Cole doesn’t smile much. But his spirit is warm. His words are from within. Cole is a spiritual man. Our conversation moved from awkward to comforting. Cole’s voice is soft. His words thoughtful. His eyes clear and honest. Cole is a gentle man.
Cole and his partner were expecting a child when he began a jail sentence. The anticipation of being a father provided Cole with purpose and optimism. Perhaps, for the first time, he saw a path forward. Upon his release, he learned that a child was no longer in his future. This drove Cole into deeper depression. He began using meth and heroin. “I began doing things I shouldn’t have.” With no family or community support, his situation worsened. Cole became homeless. Cole has been clean from heroin for 3 years but still struggles with meth. He left a treatment program early due to a bone infection which still needs major surgery. He wants to work. To live a normal life. His bone surgery will require months of recovery. He wants to resume treatment. “I sincerely try to move forward. Something always sets me back.“ As I left, a large rat hopped from a nearby baby stroller.
Cole is temporarily living with friends in their RV, a situation which needs to change. Cole is a big guy and could use a 6 person tent to accommodate his bike and belongings. If you can help, please dropOFF or shipTO: Facing Homelessness c/o Cole, 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98105.
Georgetown neighborhood | Damian
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