On the other hand, the vast majority of homeless camps are not very much to look at. After the rain we got last Saturday I went around to some of my neighbors camps to see how they made out. Of the three camps I visited not a single one was able to keep completely dry. In fact two of the camps were pretty much soaked. It's not that they could not do whatever it took to keep a dry camp or a reasonably comfortable place to live as I have it's that they can't or won't do anything about their camps. That's part of the homeless mindset. While it's dry and pleasant there is no need to make an effort and when the weather or conditions change for the worse then it's too late to bother. In many cases it's all about self gratification. All money or anything of value is used for their addictions, alcohol or drugs. For others, they just don't think that far ahead. In those cases they have other issues and mostly live day to day.
Colder wetter weather is on the way. Some of these guys will need help, some will try to help themselves and others will give up. It's all in the mindset.
I just had a tent set up for over a month in my backyard because I love to camp and never get to go. What prompted my craving was the cooler weather. However, I couldn't keep my tent dry for anything. The cover it came with didn't work, and the spray I bought also didn't work. I thought so much about y'all down there trying to stay dry. Sounds like you have it figured out - but I can't imagine going thru the cold.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young, I lived in a single-wide in the Colorado mountains with some people who liked to party. Hardly anyone had a job. The propane ran out. They took the truck to go get wood, and bought a keg instead, and came back with one log that they couldn't cut up to fit in the fireplace. Pretty soon we had no hot water and they were literally chopping up the furniture and burning it to stay warm. So I believe you when you say people have other priorities to their own detriment. It's the reason many people don't feel it's important to help at all in any way. I prefer to try to help because maybe someday, they will want something better. But there are good and bad ways to give the help - for sure.