“The unfortunate thing about public misfortunes is that everyone regards himself as qualified to talk about them.” ― E.M. Cioran, The Trouble with Being Born For the last five years I’ve had a very intense relationship with a man in his early 30s. No, not like that. He knocks on my door, I open it. I don’t invite him in. After a brief exchange, I either tell him to wait or I close the door. Once, when the door was open and my back was turned, he crossed the threshold and sat down at the kitchen table. I told him to go back outside. Another time, he sat on the doorsill, half in, legs out. I let him stay there while we conducted our business, but it made me uncomfortable. As it did my wife. “Don’t let him inside,” she said later. This is not because she is mean-spirited. This is because he is filthy and smells like shit.
Nice work, as always! Terrific writing, poignant and compassionate. Thanks. Coincidentally, a dear friend who passed away recently, bequeathed me a collection of Cioran's work. I'm just reading The Temptation to Exist....
Wonderful stuff! I've fancied a street-level apartment ever since the video for "Waiting on a Friend" appeared in 1981. Those encounters on doorsteps looked so enchanting. But this story takes it to a completely different place. Thanks, Chris.
Your writing captures the mood and complexity(and simplicity of this type of relationship) with a schizophrenic / un-housed person. Having also helped a young man-with sleeping bag,warm clothes,food,money-odd jobs, and the monotonous regularity of him showing up was such a burden in the end.The grinding cycle of his ups and downs.It's not great admission, but when the relationship ended, I was so relieved because it took up so much space in my head and day to day life.
Dear friend, your capacity to care for others and remain constant in the face of very, very discouraging odds is a rare and truly admirable thing. I’ve met ‘Fred’ at your place several times and have also felt uncomfortable confronting his self-aflicted state of misery, which he nevertheless seems not to see as such. This piece makes all of us question our relationship to those living on the edge. « Every Night & Every Morn, Some to Misery are Born »
I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful writing. Subscribing to Hexagon is one of the wisest decisions I’ve made this year.
This is a moving piece.
Wow very very moving - thanks for your story and awareness and for being Who you are :) much much love your way - and blessings
Nice work, as always! Terrific writing, poignant and compassionate. Thanks. Coincidentally, a dear friend who passed away recently, bequeathed me a collection of Cioran's work. I'm just reading The Temptation to Exist....
Wonderful stuff! I've fancied a street-level apartment ever since the video for "Waiting on a Friend" appeared in 1981. Those encounters on doorsteps looked so enchanting. But this story takes it to a completely different place. Thanks, Chris.
Wow, thank you for sharing, chris
Great stuff Chris. I hope all is well
Your writing captures the mood and complexity(and simplicity of this type of relationship) with a schizophrenic / un-housed person. Having also helped a young man-with sleeping bag,warm clothes,food,money-odd jobs, and the monotonous regularity of him showing up was such a burden in the end.The grinding cycle of his ups and downs.It's not great admission, but when the relationship ended, I was so relieved because it took up so much space in my head and day to day life.
Dear friend, your capacity to care for others and remain constant in the face of very, very discouraging odds is a rare and truly admirable thing. I’ve met ‘Fred’ at your place several times and have also felt uncomfortable confronting his self-aflicted state of misery, which he nevertheless seems not to see as such. This piece makes all of us question our relationship to those living on the edge. « Every Night & Every Morn, Some to Misery are Born »