Charlie lives out of a cardboard box, where the grocery deliveries are made.
Round the back of the store, there is a rain pipe with a hole in it, which allows water to splash out. Each day it rains, he fills his bowl and uses the soap he got at the mission to wash up before he goes off in search of breakfast. Today it was toast and coffee at the Front Street Food Kitchen. They make good toast because the Albertsons store always gives them the freshest bread. The Anchor has good toast too, but sometimes there's mold on the bread by the time they toast it. They have dry cerial there though, and he likes the sugary ones.
Charlie tries to make to the Anchor every Wednesday, when the cooking students from the seminary are in. They always talk to Charlie and they have good things to say about a man who came and died for him, even though he'd never met Charlie and didn't know he was a "retard". Charlie isn't sure what that is, but the kids always called him that in school while they were beating him up and stealing his things, until he couldn't go there anymore because he was to old. But the people at the Anchor never call him a retard and they don't make fun of him and they tell him that if he believes in the man called Jesus, one day he will be able to go and live with him and his father, where no one is better or worse than Charlie and everyone lives together happily.
Tomorrow is Wednesday and Charlie is excited. There is a new lady at the Anchor and she told Charlie she is going to wash and cut his hair and that she had a sweater that will fit him. And, the pastor at the seminary says he's going to fix things so Charlie can work there, cleaning up in the kitchen and mopping the dining room floor after dinner. Charlie folded all his clothes neatly this morning and put them in a small cardboard box and put that in a clean garbage bag he found around the back of the store. He looks around his cardboard box home and takes the little New Testament book and the cross which glows in the dark after you leave it in the sun long enough. Tomorrow he'll be moving and he'll leave the cardboard box house and his wash basin for the next "retard" who needs a place to live.
Author notes
The picture and story reminded me of a guy who used to go through the dumpster at the Burger King. He got helped out by the Burnside Mission and works in the Front Avenue Food Kitchen now and has a room upstairs.
A contest entry
- Breakfast At McDonald's - Free Verse by Cupcrazy.
1000 points, ended December 28, 2008, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 5 of 5
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WOW!
this is so touching...a soft story of one loved by God..misfortune befalls but love picks up and carries...sad but a rewarding read, thank you kindly for sharing it with me
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Beautifully written and expressed. Thanks for the great entry! Hugs, Bunny
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This made me sad. I recently was on Burnside and saw many on the corners of each block with their duffle bags or garbage sacks containing their earthly belongings. It is so cold now, the weather turning icy with snow. The ones I saw were young, but I know there are those older and infirm, too. It is a scary plight and I felt insecure on that street, yet wondered how best to give, knowing I am not so far removed from that scene that it could not happen to me.
There are often bids for charity in my mail, but I've never seen one from a shelter for the homeless, and that need for charity is very immediate...sometimes even in a small town such as the one where I live.
I can not take my hearth and home for granted. Thank you for reminding us... We all have something to give.
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Having been homeless in my time, I met a lot of Charlies.
Thank God some people have compassion and understanding about those who are "different", through no fault of their own. I still work privately to help the street people on Portland's streets - never forget where you came from. Very good poetry - your use of language so appropriate to the subject.
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Wow what a heartfelt read this was. I was riveted to thnis. You told this story without any bias one way or another about peoples feelings, but the hope and inspirations for one struggling person came through with with such joy as I read it.
Wonderfully penned indeed. Blew me away!
All the best with this.
Gaylene
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