October 7, 2003when i travel i will take you along with meHe tours endlessly with no money to spare, yet buys $300 suits. He parks in tow away zones and restricted parking areas, yet freaks out with he finds a ticket on his car, or no car at all. He stays at our house when he rolls through town on one of his infinite tours. Whether he's here for a day, or two weeks, the routine is the same. He takes over our one bathroom with his electric toothbrush, electric razor, large fishnet full of used soap bars, music magazines, journals, and his three tweezers which he lays in order on the side of the sink. I wake up to find things like three packets of stolen sugar, all arranged in a row on my kitchen counter, left as a gift or offering, like a dead rat left from your cat. You never know what he'll look like from day to day- either he'll come up in the morning wearing 70s designer jeans, a kid's T-shirt, a Beatle wig and Bono sunglasses, or he'll be fully decked out in a vintage suit with hat. Or maybe he'll just decide to stay in his flannel kids pajamas that don't quite fit his very tall frame, making him look like a child who grew too quickly. He likes to hang out with me while he converses in a very high, kids voice about oyster farms, the music business, his family, friends, a girl who dumped him, luggage and things he's made. I'm convinced he's yanking everyone's chain. That no one could really be 26 and act like this. That when he's alone he spits and belches and talks in a deep voice. But Summer insists he's for real, which on somedays I find refreshing, on other days, a little scary. But we open our home to him, and any other wanderer who blows into town, as we have for years past. If Summer or Andy had a friend in need, they always knew they could come to the home of wayward souls. "Parents threw you out? No problem, you can come stay with us." "You met him on-line and he's a swing dancer from Eerie, Pennsylvania and he wants to stay with us for how long? Sure, no problem." "You don't want him to stay at your house anymore so he's coming to stay with us? Why not." We've met a lot of interesting characters throughout the years, most of whom are still our friends. So I gave him a hug and sent him off, this time without a care package like I usually do but was too busy to put together, and wished him good luck until he comes again. And I worried when Summer told me he would be sleeping in his car last night, and wished he'd call and let us know he's okay. Posted at October 7, 2003 3:34 PM
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You are wonderful for being so generous with your home and compassion.
An amazing family once had the same mercy on me...I had no where to go and no money, was trying desperately to finish college and didn't know how that could happen when I didn't have a roof over my head. Then the call...a friend's mom phoned me at my mall job and begged for me to please, please not sleep in my car that night (it was late October and cold.)I'll never forget when she said, "We don't care if its two days, two weeks, two months or two years. You've been a great friend to our daughter and we want you to stay with us. Just say yes." They wanted me? I couldn't quit crying.
I stayed for almost year and a half. I helped with chores and groceries and paid a little rent. Graduated from college. Got a place of my own. But what I remember most was that it was the first time in my life I'd known what it meant to have a family.
Your story reminded me of them this morning. Thank you! Its been years since we've talked...I'm sending them a note right now.
Posted by: k at October 8, 2003 5:46 AM