Balmy Days

We have record setting warm weather here. It is strange. It is November, fall colors are starting to show, and I have every window open in my apartment and it is warm. We are supposed to have a high of 83 degrees today. I am sitting here with just shorts and a t-shirt on.

Monday is my “payday” and what a grand day it is. Every Monday, I make a check out for $85 dollars and walk down to the bank to cash it. This money has to last me until the start of next week to stay on my budget. It is a nice feeling to have a few dollars in your pocket. I usually splurge and eat out on payday.

After cashing my check, I walked over to the little Korean restaurant in the same shopping center as the Piggly Wiggly. I got a plate of chicken and stir fried rice and a large iced tea. I then walked over to a bench near the Pig to sit down and eat. They give you such enormous portions and I couldn’t finish it all. Weasel was sitting down on the bench between the Pig and the dollar store. I walked down and asked him if he wanted what was left as I couldn’t eat it all. He told me to fuck off and leave him alone. I didn’t take it personally as the guy is off his rocker.

I seem to have an uncanny knack these days for meeting up with George. Soon, he came driving up in his Dodge as I was walked down the sidewalk headed for home. He waved for me to come over. I sat down in his car. George offered me a beer. I am still not feeling rather well and declined. I did smoke the Swisher Sweet cigar George handed me.

I told George what Ferret had said to me earlier when I offered him something to eat. George told me that his mother has thrown him out and he is sleeping in the fenced off and abandoned parking lot next to the upper tier of the shopping center. I asked George if he had a sleeping bag and George said no. I think I will bring Ferret one of my old bags and see if he will take it. He might just tell me to fuck off again.

Ferret could easily get into BIT (brief intensive treatment) down in Opelika if he would just try. That would give him a few weeks of food and shelter and they could start trying out some medications. I have told him about it before. He knows the name of my psychiatrist who is the director of it. At least he has food stamps and plenty to eat. It is also a good thing that there is no cold weather in sight in the long term forecast.

I think Ferret is going through that period of shock and depression you experience when you first become homeless. I can remember crying for days that first week I became homeless and didn’t handle it with the dignity that Ferret seems to be.