Tired Again

They cut off the intake for Room In The Inn last night, just as I next to go in. We're full to capacity," is what Mary said, the lady running the gate.

It does happen though, that after people have been brought through the fence, and a few churches have picked up people, that Room In The Inn finds itself with room for a few more homeless people. This is figured out during "final count."

I wasn't able to draw a ticket that morning for Room In The Inn, so I had to wait until that afternoon. I got down to the campus about 4:30pm, when the campus reopens. I went into the front desk area and drew a ticket. It was a "plus ticket." Plus tickets are guaranteed for the following night. But, if the bed count is high enough, and the ticket count low enough, some tickets will get you in that night, instead of the following night, if you so choose. Mine was a +14. To myself and the other homeless, I had a good chance of getting in that night (last night). After drawing the ticket, there was nothing left to do but hang around the campus for an hour until the program began at 5:15pm. At 5:15pm the tickets were called. The gate was shut just in front of me. At that point, the people left outside the gate are told that "final count" would be held around 6pm and that if more bed space was discovered, then at 6:15pm, a few more people would be allowed in to fill those spaces. So I waited some more, and at 6:15 Mary came out with her clip board. She announced to the gathering hopeful's that she only had room for 3 more people. Of course there were 3 people there with tickets lower than my 14, and they were let in. The rest of us homeless were told to "scootch along" go to the mission or wherever, so that the volunteers could continue on with the evenings work. It was, as always, a nervous and stressful 2 hours, waiting to see whether or not I'll get in. The stress does become a bit much for some, and fights occasionally break out. There are always arguments, usually on petty issues, during the wait. Homeless people feel it necessary to fight, sometimes literally, to protect what little personal space and dignity they have left.

So I scootched up to Cafe Coco for the night. In the morning, I caught a bus back into downtown. My ticket is definitely good for tonight. I'll actually be one of the first one's in, since I was almost one of the last ones in yesterday. After all the riggamaroll, I'll get to hit the bed, or army cot, or whatever about 8pm. That's about 39 or 40 hours without sleep. Like I said, I'm tired.

I did learn that during our freak snow storm that a homeless guy died from exposure that night. A bunch of people, who did not believe the weather forecasts, and really didn't care if they were true, went out drinking that night. Often these storms skip over Nashville. One of them had a guitar. A couple of women went with them. There was music, and dancing, and severe drunkenness near the railroad tressel.