While kids say the darnest things what the adults say is (definitely) dumb (er) (est)

Here are a few things that have been said to me regarding homelessness:

The misconception - the visual didn't fit the stereotypical:

While I was homeless, I was standing outside of Jacobs Field when some nice gentleman offered me an extra ticket to that night's game for free. At the time there was a ban on bringing umbrellas into the ballpark and the possibility for rain was eminent. When entering the gate, anyone entering the ballpark with an umbrella had to take the umbrella and put it in a barrel where it could be retrieved upon leaving.

When I entered the ballpark, I was shown where to leave my umbrella. Because there was no tagging system set up, I expressed my concern about getting my umbrella back after the game.
I told the attendant that I was homeless and I could not afford another umbrella.

"You don't look homeless," he said.

Why? Because I was wearing a nice sweater, new jeans, Reeboks and makeup. Oh, yes! I had a purse that contained a wallet, hairbrush and lipstick.

"Get off your lazy a** and get a job!"
Gary and I were both homeless when we met.

I became homeless due to disability. Gary was an unemployed union carpenter who had his livelihood taken away when his van containing his tools was stolen. He cut back from comprehensive to liability coverage. Homelessness soon followed.

So Gary worked selling hot dogs on Public Square and later accepting assignments through a temp agency.

When Katrina hit Florida, Gary and I saw an opportunity to leave Cleveland and to head south. There were carpentry jobs in Florida. Homes needed repairs, restored and rebuilt. Maybe, once we got down there, maybe someone (like an employer) could deduct the cost of tools out of Gary's paycheck.

Catholic Charities was willing to help us with bus fare to Florida so I called my cousin in Ft. Lauderdale to ask him if he could put us up for two weeks; even if it was in his garage.

Then I told him that we were homeless. And his reply was...

You've lost your right to choose...
That's exactly what happens when you become homeless.

Remember your last move? You checked out the neighborhood; the schools, travel time to and from work, where to shop. Oh, must find out what the neighbors are because that (you think) will affect your property and resale values of your home.

Well folks, homeless shelters aren't located in nice suburban neighborhoods. The person in the next bunk might just be a convicted sex offender just released from prison or a schizophrenic who lacks their medication.

So, when I told a cousin that I planned on going to the homeless shelters in Steubenville to research homelessness for a story that I was going to write on homeless in small towns and rural areas she said, "You shouldn't do that, they (shelters) are in bad neighborhoods".

WELL, DUH -like I didn't know!