The Wagon Home

 

It's been on this corner for a few years now; the school owners don't mind that it's there. It actually blends in quite nicely with the graffiti on the wall. Inside this carriage or wagon, lives a man named George. He is a well-groomed gentleman who came from the north of the country to make it big in this promising city. However, he never had all those glamorous chances as promised in the stories people told about this metropolis of opportunities.

George lives in this ingeniously decorated wagon that when he younger was used to roam around the city collecting recyclable items from trash cans. Nowadays you can say that life is better because his wagon stays put while he goes to buildings to collect the recyclable items that have already been separated by the dwellers of these buildings. It is actually a blessing because he doesn´t need to go out on a daily basis.

The neighbors nearby take good care of George. Without a plan, every day there is someone who brings him a plate of food. He uses the bathroom at the market around the corner for basic necessities and showers. He believes these people are angels sent from heaven; his faith is sturdy. He likes to talk to people and most of all, he is a good listener.

George is a peaceful soul whose hobby is making rugs from leftover pieces of cloth donated by other angels. It is a very creative craft which keeps him busy. After he has finished making a piece, he gives it to other homeless people who use them to sleep on or to cover themselves up when it is cold. He knows how uncomfortable and cold living on the streets can be.

When questioned if he'd like to return to his hometown, his reply is no. He's been gone for so long that he believes those whom he loved - his parents - have passed away. His having left his home in the north of the country meant that he wouldn't return; just like death.

George feels loved by the community and protected by the police with a station on a nearby corner, who check up on him from time to time to see how he's doing or of he needs anything. He's not worried about dying and believes that he will have a decent burial when the time comes, meanwhile he makes the best of what he has.

February 5, 2022 (George is a fictitious name, but some of the facts are true.)

Photo: Meire Marion