Tarot Reading 2
Bits of blue sky mixed with cumulus and stratus clouds overhead as I walked to Mark's sidewalk carrying an intake form.
Mark and Donny were sitting down and drinking tall cans of a fancy Oregon IPA. What the hell? I asked about it. Apparently, a beverage truck driver had damaged some freight prior to his delivery to the convenience store. He couldn't very well throw away high-end beer so he each gave Mark and Donny a four-pack. In fact, the driver had given away damaged freight to Mark and Donny multiple times. In fact, Mark and Donny were under the distinct impression the driver intentionally damaged the freight so he could give away free beer to voluble homeless men and women! And it was the driver's best shit, not swill malt liquor or sorority cider. He was truly a great guy according to Mark and Donny, and had held fascinating 20-minute conversations with members of the book club while on the job.
I produced the form and handed it to Mark. I told him it was strictly Plan B in light of the Street Response Team development. I then ran Mark through what I had learned from observing the Street Response Team in action and asking them questions.
Our plan was: Mark would make the non-emergency call to 9-1-1 requesting the team's presence for an assessment/referral, the first step into housing. Then I laid out possible scenarios after Mark made the call:
No one would show up.
It would take between one and four hours for a team to show up.
If a team did arrive, they might not know a damn thing about the assessment/referral process even though one member of the team told me she did.
They would conduct an assessment/referral and then Mark would have to travel somewhere, such as a treatment center, the Multnomah Safe Rest Village, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, another shelter for transitional housing, or nowhere at all.
Mark's assessment/referral might be entered into the digital netherworld and later be retrieved to qualify him for housing.
Something I couldn't possibly foresee might occur and it would be so supremely preposterous and/or fucked up that we might quite possibly go insane as a result.
I stressed to Mark it was crucial he take control of the conversation with the Street Response Team when they arrived. He had to advocate for himself. I would provide backup, supply salient points if necessary, and keep my cool.
All my attempts to find Mark housing had failed. But that was in the past. The future was now and Mark had to supply more of his own initiative to ensure a better future for himself. He had voiced a desire to get off the streets, he had turned me loose to work on his behalf, he had taken the ride downtown. Now he had to make the call.
If someone is homeless in America and they want off the streets or out of the willows, and they make one call or send one email or show up in person in pursuit of ending their homelessness, then they should instantly begin a brief, uncomplicated process into housing and become housed within 24 hours—or less. If the process is convoluted, incomprehensible and/or contradictory, you will lose that person and perhaps ruined the only opportunity to end their homelessness. They don't come along very often or maybe never at all.
If there is one thing I've learned from my interactions with homeless people it is this: ACT RIGHT IN THE MOMENT! DON'T WAIT! DON'T MAKE THE PERSON WAIT!
“When you're ready Mark,” I said, “you make the call. Then we take it from there.”
He agreed.
It was time to leave. Mark asked me if I wanted a tarot reading. Why not? The last one proved utterly excellent and useful.
I sat down on the sidewalk and heard several joints pop and creak. Mark fanned the cards out on the concrete and I chose seven. He turned over the first one and the reading commenced. It went like this:
10 of Cups: something about past girlfriends, one in particular.
Tentacles: something about past heartbreaks, one in particular.
3 of Swords: didn't catch it.
Chariot: something about rejuvenation of the heart.
Two of Cups: something about wealth and happiness.
Two of Pentacles: something more about hearts.
Knight of Cups: something about protecting or protectors and how someone is going to help me out.
Not bad! It gave me rich food for thought. I peeled off a sawbuck and gave it to Mark as payment for the reading. He thanked me. I delineated the the Street Response Team process a final time and walked home.