It was Thursday night at 8:00pm, about 10 degrees and windy. While walking by Civic Center Park, Fred ran into a man who had no gloves or real coat and was very cold – Jon. Jon is homeless and was very drunk at the moment. Some other friends and I met Fred at the park, and we talked with Jon about how he could get somewhere warm and safe for the night. I asked him if he wanted us to call detox so he could get in somewhere warm, and he insisted that he did not want to go to detox. I asked him if he wanted to go to New Genesis, the closest men’s shelter, and he said yes. So, the crew of us, now four friends – three of whom are homeless – and our new friend Jon, walked to New Genesis.
When we made it to the shelter and Jon asked to check in, the shelter staff said he looked too drunk. John asked to go to the bathroom, but in the bathroom he dropped his liquor bottle. Hoping to help Jon be allowed to stay at the shelter, Fred picked up the bottle and claimed it was his. Shelter staff did not like this and kicked both Fred and Jon out, saying they would call the cops.
Outside, we sat with Jon to try and figure out where else we could take him to survive the cold night. It was now after 9:00pm. It would be a long walk to the Mission, and in Jon’s state, it would not be feasible to get there in a reasonable time. Plus, there was no guarantee that, once we got there, the Mission would accept him – either because he was too drunk (and they technically don’t accept people that are drunk) or because they might be overfull by 10:00pm on that cold night. Past that, there were no other shelters we knew of within walking distance that would be open at that time, much less any that would take an intoxicated man.
Then, shelter staff came out and said that if we were not all gone in ten minutes, they would call detox. I talked with Jon again, asking if he wanted to go to detox, and he said no. Shortly after, police showed up. They asked about two people causing trouble. We told them that there was no one causing trouble and that we were just trying to help this man get into a shelter, but that he was not allowed at New Genesis because he was drunk. The cops pushed back, asking Fred if he was drunk. Fred just asked if he was being detained, and the cops said maybe. After a bit more of us explaining that we were just trying to help Jon find shelter for the night, the cops left Fred alone. Then someone, either the cops or the shelter staff, called detox. When I learned they were on the way, I told Jon. When Jon heard the name Denver Cares (the other name for detox), he asked me if Denver Cares was on their way and said he wanted to go (I guess there is a lot in a name :)). After a while, detox showed up and took Jon. Ultimately, he seemed glad to have had them come.
When we made it to the shelter and Jon asked to check in, the shelter staff said he looked too drunk. John asked to go to the bathroom, but in the bathroom he dropped his liquor bottle. Hoping to help Jon be allowed to stay at the shelter, Fred picked up the bottle and claimed it was his. Shelter staff did not like this and kicked both Fred and Jon out, saying they would call the cops.
Outside, we sat with Jon to try and figure out where else we could take him to survive the cold night. It was now after 9:00pm. It would be a long walk to the Mission, and in Jon’s state, it would not be feasible to get there in a reasonable time. Plus, there was no guarantee that, once we got there, the Mission would accept him – either because he was too drunk (and they technically don’t accept people that are drunk) or because they might be overfull by 10:00pm on that cold night. Past that, there were no other shelters we knew of within walking distance that would be open at that time, much less any that would take an intoxicated man.
Then, shelter staff came out and said that if we were not all gone in ten minutes, they would call detox. I talked with Jon again, asking if he wanted to go to detox, and he said no. Shortly after, police showed up. They asked about two people causing trouble. We told them that there was no one causing trouble and that we were just trying to help this man get into a shelter, but that he was not allowed at New Genesis because he was drunk. The cops pushed back, asking Fred if he was drunk. Fred just asked if he was being detained, and the cops said maybe. After a bit more of us explaining that we were just trying to help Jon find shelter for the night, the cops left Fred alone. Then someone, either the cops or the shelter staff, called detox. When I learned they were on the way, I told Jon. When Jon heard the name Denver Cares (the other name for detox), he asked me if Denver Cares was on their way and said he wanted to go (I guess there is a lot in a name :)). After a while, detox showed up and took Jon. Ultimately, he seemed glad to have had them come.
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