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neko-oji51 karma

It was intermittent work in all of that. I worked at an office, a Trader Joe's and a Panera knock off. I definitely did what I could to get by and took on any opportunities that I could land, if any. Now maintaining them, especially when I would have no place depending that was the kicker. Rest assured, there was couch surfing, but that was not always the case.

neko-oji37 karma

One story that comes to mind easily has to be when I was coming back to my home state from PA. A friend of mine had asked to me to come that way as he knew my circumstances. Unfortunately, things didn't work out over there, so I came back to my hometown. I met a random man on the bus I took, and we ended up talking as I had some art with me and it sparked conversation. So, when I arrived, he started asking, "Where are you headed, I can take you there." "Do you have no one?" "Do you have any money?" He ended up giving me 40 dollars and well wishes, and frankly, despite the fact I did end up staying in the trains station for a few months, I never forgot that man.

neko-oji32 karma

As for K-12, my suggestion is to be aware of the signs, as I am sure you know that not every kid is Keen on telling their home life due to stigma and fear. When I was growing up, in this case high school age, I ended up confiding in an English teacher I had met as she seemed to be very cognizant of the fact that I was dealing with something where I was living. I forgot entirely how she got me to talk, but once I did, she made it a point t to try and help me, and to make me feel as loved as possible. That sense of understanding went s long way, as I felt validated and less ashamed and angry at my circumstances, even marginally.

neko-oji29 karma

Ah, another story comes to mind. So some time after, I ended up making friends with some random guy in the station, he was few years younger than I was and we sparked up a conversation about art and broke day doing so. He ended up asking me if I wanted to hang out with him as he was enrolled in community college, and so I thought "I genuinely have nothing better to do" so I said "Sure, why not? Can't hurt." And so when I get there I meet one of my now roommates, right? Her cousin and I ended up bonding as we were and still very much are a bunch of Fighting Game dweebs. So I made a friend and decided to visit him and when it came time to go, their oldest son started asking me where he could drop me off. I said "Oh at this train station is fine! Ill go from there." Then they started asking details, the thing I was trying to avoid. His parents have all the kids leave the room, and start asking me "So....what's up with your situation, young man" and that's how I ended up staying and bonding with these people for two weeks. They did not know me. I was just a friend of their son's, and yet they showed me kindness that TO THIS DAY I still attempt to return to them/pay them in actions, yet all they want me to do is visit them more. 😅

neko-oji22 karma

As for the meanest, it would boil down to the fact that my own father wouldn't help me, and some of the ways in which I was pushed out or made to leave by other people I trusted. For context, my relationship with my own father is basically non-existent currently. He was an absentee, and of those guys that seemed to only like parenting in principle. So, at that point he and I were still very much on rocky terms. But I was desparate, and he did say to me "Son if you need me, call me". And so I did. He comes to pick me up, he goes to get me some food. And so on the way about, he starts checking for homeless shelters for me. I was 24 at the time, and I didn't even want much from him, a night IF that at all or at least a strong job lead and a leg up. He has an apartment, fiance, and he had a couch. He left me at a homeless shelter in Plainfield, the same man who espoused the virtues of God, family, how much he loved my mom and his only son, and decency as nauseum, yet...he left that same son in a shelter and went home.