I don't know why it's gotten harder to keep myself away, I thought I finally beat the feeling back, it all came back today

today at work I had to cover a press conference at a women's shelter. the church they were housed in will be sold next month so the shelter has nowhere to go. it was weird, I guess I always had a stereotype in my head that homeless people were, well, homeless for a reason. I can't explain it. but after the conference I talked to a girl that is living there. her name was nicole and she couldn't have been that much older than me. she talked about how she was college-educated and has a son. then she got into an accident and couldn't pay her hospital bills, let alone her rent, and she's been living at the shelter since january. her son can't live there, since it's women-only, so he has to live with his father.
she gestured to a cot and a dresser and said, "this is my entire life now."
it was all too real for me.
I went back and wrote the story and I hope someone can donate a basement or some money so the shelter will continue.

in closing, I think you should be listening to the mountain goats right now.