You won't get lost if you will listen

[candyshopgirl]

So I had this woman come in and she acted kinda weird.Kinda like she was stupid,high,drunk,something.Any she kept asking where 10th street was and I gave her really simple awesome directions.But it she kept saying I don't want to get lost.I said oh you won't (said directions again). this went on for about 10 more mins.Give dirctions and then she would say well I don't want to get lost. She wouldn't listen to my directions without saying well I don't want to get lost. So finally I just said go to the front desk,hell they have a information desk,where they pay a person to deal with idiots. I felt bad because she said that she almost froze to death last night.So I assume that she was homeless.

[WageSlaveofDoom]

Argh. Homelessness is one of the most frustrating things about the city. It really sucks because no matter what you do you feel bad and can't get away. If someone comes up to you and asks the same questions several times in a row and doesn't listen, I'd check for signs of intoxication. It can't be stupidity EVERY time, right? ...


Right?

[Amina516]

It can't be stupidity EVERY time, right? ...

Right?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..................

[NightWatch]

A rather large amount of homeless people are mentally ill. Mentally ill persons have a strong tendency to self-medicate if they can't get the professional help they need. So I'm sure that actual stupidity has little to do with it when confronting a homeless person.

[friendofjimmyk]

A rather large amount of homeless people are mentally ill. Mentally ill persons have a strong tendency to self-medicate if they can't get the professional help they need. So I'm sure that actual stupidity has little to do with it when confronting a homeless person.

Those are the dually-diagnosed and I work with them twice a week. I have a entirely different look on homeless people now that I've been working with them.

I get angry when people think that the homeless population are just lazy folks who don't want to work. Those are only a few of the many. I mean - a REALLY small, small few. Usually those who are merely too lazy to work are really good at manipulation and aren't homeless. They con themselves into some situation that allows them to live better than the homeless do.

Most of the homeless are mentally ill. Since there are very few state sanctioned hospitals or care for these individuals, they were turned over to the communities and their families who are not equipped to handle caring for them or don't have the time/energy/patience to do so. So, they "dump" them at the local homeless shelter. With the right care, these people can be productive members of society, but most often - its just not available to everyone who needs it.

Then there are the dually-diagnosed. Those who have mental illnesses AND substance abuse. Illegal street drugs are easier to get than legal prescriptions and they try to self-medicate. With help, these individuals can also become productive members of society - however, there is only so much help and they all cannot get helped when they need it or seek it.

Then there are those who are just so addicted to drugs that they are homeless. If these folks would just get their heads out of their ass, they can become productive members of society - but their addiction has them enslaved.

Last but not least, the families who were barely making it as it was and then the economy took a sharp turn the other way and these families lost everything. Entire families in the shelter struggling to get their lives back together.

Sorry to have hijacked the thread...I just get all soapboxy when I hear the homeless... I can't help but feel so bad for them.

[Evil Queen]

It could be way way way worse.

A while back (when the hotel was still open, we're still closed and it's been two months!) I would get an interesting call over and over and over.

For three weeks I got this call from a... gentleman... that would constantly ask for directions. Now, at first this is normal, right? He lived just up the highway near the inner loop (Houston has two; Beltway 8/Sam Houston Tollway and 610). Six times in one call I gave him the directions and each time he said "hold on, let me find a pen. OKay, I have one. Speak slower. No, go slower. Slower. Yeah, slower."

Kinda weird, but since it got to the point where I was saying everything. One. Word. At. A. Time. He still wanted me to go.... slower. So I hung up. He calls back some 30 seconds later and requests the same information again. I resign to it and start to give him directions. What does he say?

"Hold on, let me find a pen."

My then part-time night audit person (also a woman) agrees; he's either very lonely and wants someone to talk to.... or (and this was her idea) he gets off on directions.

......