Upstairs at the Homeless Shelter

I finally could get some rest

After three months of trying to stay awake at the library and trying to sleep downstairs at the shelter. Finally, getting off the streets and having a bed upstairs was a blessing.

There always has to be at least one jerk

I still had to share a space with nine other guys, guys with worse issues than the ones I had. We were in the “Medical Room.” We all had physical and mental health issues, and we slept a lot, so we liked the lights to be out during the day.

Three guys didn’t want the lights out. The problem was they were in and out all day. One of them would come storming in and turn on the lights.

“Turn the lights off,” we would yell; there would be a shouting match, then the guy would walk out, leaving the lights on. I got along with everybody. I minded my business and talked to Olivia as often as I could.

I slept a lot

I would sleep most of the day, going downstairs for meals. I would also meet with the housing people. The room upstairs was not meant to be a permanent home.

I was still homeless

I would hear my name over the PA system, then I would go to the housing office and fill out paperwork. I would also go with the housing lady to shelters that were transitional housing.

I would fill out applications and be interviewed by a staff member at the place I was trying to get into. I would go back to the shelter and wait. While I waited, I slept as much as I could and talked to Olivia often.

I met some good guys

It was a different vibe upstairs. I felt safer, but I still kept my guard up. The one person who kept me grounded was Olivia. I had never been in love before, and I liked the feeling.

I was upstairs for two months when I got approval to move to transitional housing. My last day at the shelter. I ate breakfast downstairs, then I packed my stuff and waited for the shelter caseworker.

Ten minutes later, I was at my new home.

We parked next to an old and ugly eight-floor building across from the TCF tower. I got my stuff out of the caseworker’s car. I needed to get a cart, but I got it all inside.

I signed some paperwork and read the rules, then I was led upstairs to a laundry room. I had to run all my clothes through the laundry to kill the bedbugs.

I was covered in bedbug bites

The day went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was in my room alone. I had a splitting headache. I was itching all over from bedbug bites, and I was too keyed up to sleep, but I was by myself for the first time in months. It was awesome.

Minneapolis is a cool city

I took a couple of days to get some sleep and get acclimated, then I got out and did some exploring. I asked a staff member where I could get a bus pass. There was a transit office up the street, I bought a reloadable pass. I took a bus to the post office and checked my mail, then I went back to the shelter to the computer room and talked to Olivia.

That night I watched a DVD that Olivia sent me. I watched it on my laptop, and then I went to bed early. There was a good mix of residents, so it didn’t take long for me to make some friends.

The next step in my healing journey had begun.

Final Thought:

Never take a good night’s sleep and privacy for granted.