Awake

I think it might be time for a funny story. So I'm sitting here trying to write when I am interrupted by our boss Jim who informs me that there is a stretch hummer in the parking lot. It never me amazes me what happens here but I would say this is one of the more surprising ones. So I go out there and there indeed is a hummer out there and as I mutter how stupid this all is I am met by the guy who rented it. Apparently he just arrived from Dutch Harbor which is one of the villages in Alaska and he spent 600 yes I just said 600 dollars to rent this atrocity. The funniest part about it is that when my co-worker and Jim go to check out the hummer, they open the door and not only does a bottle of vodka fall out but there are a handful of our clients inside waiting expectedly for a good night. So the reason the hummer was in the parking lot is so that the guy who rented it could pick up some Beanies (clients of Bean's Cafe), it's a quick way to make friends thats for sure.

This week has probably been one of the strangest weeks so far. On Monday we were supposed to get a Christmas tree but when we went to the Army base where we had a permit to cut down trees, we were denied because we didn't have an escort. Even though Bean's has been doing this for the past 7 years, apparently this year we seemed more dangerous and needed an escort. I mean I agree, I wouldn't trust myself without an escort on a military base either. But after we drive off, Maggie my supervisor remembers that there is a Homeless coalition conference that we needed to attend on Monday and Tuesday. So the last two days I have spent learning about Anchorage's 10 year plan to eradicate homelessness. I personally don't think it's possible because I see that with the population I work with some just don't really want to get off the streets. I don't think that anyone really wants to be homeless but when thats been your lifestyle for so long it's almost harder to live indoors. But all in all the conference was interesting. But today was finally going to be the day to get the Christmas tree...but again no go so tomorrow it is. At 8:45 in the morning we have found an escort to get us on the base. I will be bringing my headlamp because it doesn't get light here till about 10. So stay tuned for hopefully some funny stories about 3 Bean employees and one client going in the pitch dark to cut down 4 trees on a military base.