In Loving Memory

Remembering the laughs, the tears, the upsets, the betrayals, the inconsistencies, the hierarchy, the absurdity, the surreal, sitting at Cook County for hours on end, Deac rides, Deac cars, tokens for the L, or having to jump the turnstyle, Mondays off, donation doughnuts, barrels of orange juice, government cheese, Malibu quiche, treats, getting awakened in the middle of the night to give up your bed, stepping over the sleeping homeless in the lobby, Strider. Answering the telephone, ignoring the telephone, getting telephones, handing out smartphones, info mail

Checking to see if you’re on the money list, waiting in line for gas money, reserving a car

Linda handing out Christmas supplies, afterwards trading pecans for more walnuts, eating the bag of chocolate chips before even going up the stairs, fighting for the kitchen, room on the stovetop, losing your favorite measuring cup, finding it in the dishroom, staking out your laundry slot, weekend work rotations, wrapping gifts for the shelter, walking to the shelter, dodging bullets at Wilson and Sheridan, getting mugged while looking for a car, spending gas money at a drive-thru, dreaming of one day running away, leaving community, imagining what it would be like to do your own thing. The lunar pull of Brother Sun, Sister Moon. Again and again.