PINE NUTS – Homeless
June 3, 2024 | McAvoy Lane
While staying at the enchanting Renaissance recently, I had a view of the Truckee River, and a half dozen homeless folks dwelling there on her silent shores. They pretty much kept to themselves until a gregarious gentleman came along with something to eat that he passed out to one after another until they were all up and around on the riverbank, bargaining and trading with what little they had to offer. This was quite possibly their main meal for the day, and they were exhibiting great gladness in celebrating it…
Most of us Americans have never experienced real hunger as opposed to just feeling hungry. The only time I ever experienced hunger was in Vietnam when a low hanging cloud cover kept us Marines from being resupplied. We went four days without eating before we came upon a field of onions, dug a few up, and ate them raw, without any condiments or complaints. Of course we had the breath of a buzzard for the next three months, but we didn’t care.
Back to our homeless folks on the Truckee, they seemed delighted with what little sustenance was bequeathed to them by the Good Samaritan gentleman, who looked to be homeless himself. My first impulse was to go down there and invite the seven of them to dinner at the Renaissance, but I had to go downstairs and talk into a microphone for my own dinner. It did not go unappreciated by me that could I not talk for my supper, I might be out there on the riverbank, sharing a few KitKats with my new neighbors.
But help is on the way. I’ve been reading about Emergency Urban Sleeper Pods. They’re called, “Amazing Grace Spaces Pods,” and are 8ftX6ft with a bed, light, toilet and USB socket. They even have a coded smart lock to protect the no longer homeless person on the inside. Nobody would want to live in one of these pods for long, but it would give someone time to find a better life. My hat is off to Amazing Graces Spaces for caring, and expressing that care with Emergency Urban Sleeper Pods.
I had a dream last night that I was asleep in my pod there on the bank of the Truckee, when the river rose and floated me downstream into Pyramid Lake, where I bobbed around for an hour or so before some merciful Washoe folks banged on my door, and towed me back to land, where we dined on dried trout.
As a nation, we have got to deal with homelessness, this stain on our good name. There are more caring folks out there capable of building pods as a short-term stopgap measure toward a permanent solution to homelessness.
Meanwhile, Nevada Cares Campus is providing shelter to folks who are seeking more permanent housing opportunities. Bravo to them!
There are so many caring people on deck and ready. We need hammers & nails, and some charitable counseling. Go Reno!