A long way up

To move from homelessness to normal house-living, I had to acquire many, many things that the normal person never thinks of being without.  But of course, the homeless person is without them.

It posed a financial hardship.  For several years, I’d literally spent all my money on Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and smokes.  I had no savings.  The offer of normal housing was sudden, abrupt, and I was mandated to move out of the shelter that same day.

Moreover, I now had to pay rent and utilities, and had to figure out a budget; but there are all these things you can’t figure into your regular monthly budget; such as a hammer.  Once you get one, you’ll probably have that one for life.

Originally I kept records of all this things, where and when I bought them, and how much they cost.  But I lost some receipts, and lost a lot of data in a computer glitch the night before my laptop got stolen.  I remember that the can opener cost $10; the bucket cost $10 also.  The can opener was the most urgent purchase, and no one had thought of it.  If I had nothing else, I needed that to be able to open cans of food.

Here are the things that I either received as gifts, or had to buy:

Christmas gifts I asked for, over the years, at the shelters:

1. 2 cup Pyrex meauring cup

2. Large wooden spoon

3. Mixing bowls

4. 2 quart saucepan

5. Comforter

Gifts from my case manager:

1. Sheets and towels

2. Another comnforter

3. Air mattress

4. Tumblers

5. Silverware

6. Pots and pans

7. Hot pan holders

8. Shower curtain

Gifts from church:

1. Desk

2. Coffee table

3. Secretarial chair

Things I stole from the hotel:

1. Towel and washcloth

Things I bought:

1. Can opener

2. French press

3. Coffee mug

4. Bucket(**)

5. Broom

6. Brush & dustpan

7. Fabuloso

8. Microban cleaning spray 22 oz

9. Bathtub mat

10. Toilet bowl brush

11. Toilet bowl cleaner

12. Plunger

13. Recycling bags

14. Quart size food containers

15. Ziploc bags:  Freezer

16. Ziploc bags: Quart

17. Ziploc bags: Gallon

18. Aluminum foil

19. Waxed paper

20. Dish soap

21. Scouring powder

22. Dish brush

23. Kitchen knives

24. Ice cube trays

25. Funnels

26. Sieve

27. 22″ Box fan

28. Hammer

29. Screwdrivers(*)

30. Short pants

31. Litter pan

32. Litter scoop

33. Scotch tape

34. Masking tape

35. Twine

36. Sharpies

Still need:

1. Drain board for kitchen sink

2. Dish drainer

3. Cutting board

4. Scissors

(*) To punch holes in coffee cans I want to use as planters.  Family Dollar was consistently sold out of nails, but these were the same price.

(**) I don’t ever plan to get a mop.  As I did at the rooming house in Barclay where I was the “super,” I mean to get down on my hands and knees, to mop.