PLEASE MEET AL:
Several weeks ago, Al woke up to the smell of thick black smoke in his nostrils. He woke to find that their structure under the bridge was indeed on fire! He ran to get the help of a friend, Joos, who ran to the burning structure. He bravely went inside where his friend Wolf remained asleep even though the walls were ablaze around him.
"Joos saved me." Wolf told me. "No, Al saved you by asking for help", Joos corrected him. Wolf told me that although Joos was soft-spoken, he can be very loud when it was needed. "I've never heard you use that voice before." They laughed.
Joos said he threw water on the fire, but it only made it grow. Several structures and tents were burned completely. It is uncertain what started the fire.
Al lost everything including his ID, bus passes, all of his clothes. He lost his winter work boots, his cook stove, his headlamp, all of his pants and sweatpants. Wolf was thankful he still had his wallet, and his cool leather jacket.
The three of them seemed to have a comradery brought closer by the experience. "It was a good place for us, a place to come together and share a laugh even in hard times." Al told me. "It will be missed."
Beacon Hill Neighborhood | Dawndra
A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/ and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness
