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| HOMELESS MAN - STOCK PHOTO |
We'd ventured to a local supermarket to purchase a couple of provisions. I noticed a homeless man at the entrance with his 'Staffie' dog companion. On leaving the supermarket he was still there.
We went over to talk to him, and struck up a conversation about his pet dog that was sharing the sandwich which he was eating whilst we talked to him, I discovered he had been in the British Army serving out three tours of Iraq assigned to driving tanks. He'd suffered Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); which is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events and had to be discharged from the army. Because of the disorder he would wake up screaming most nights. As a result his Wife divorced him because she couldn't cope with his disorder anymore. He willingly let her have the house so her and her children had somewhere to live. Because of the legal costs fighting the divorce he was left with £600 of his half of his war pension .... which meant to ended up homeless 12 months ago.
Whilst he was talking to us I couldn't help but notice the appalling behaviour of numerous shoppers who were passing us as they left the store. One gentleman, who's trolley was fully laden with groceries, gave me the most filthiest look and uttered nasty obscenities under his breath as he passed. Another, a young girl barely out of school, walked passed us and glared at us; then made an obscene gesture on the way out. Other people just looked at me like I was strange talking to a homeless person.
The homeless guy, who I will call 'Frank' told me about his experience ... his tank had driven over a personnel mine and had been devastated by the explosion. As he was walking away from it, he felt something land on the side of his face. When he looked, his best friend had just been shot in the head and his brain & blood had splattered across his face. Frank also got shot and had his life saved in the army hospital.
He'd been shot four times in total in the three tours; had momentarily died three times in the helicopter and had to be saved by the medics those three times.
HOW DARE THESE EGOCENTRIC SHOPPERS judge this homeless man just because he needed to ask beg outside the supermarket. He had nowhere else to go as there is no local hostel due to it being knocked down to be replaced by luxury apartments. He can't claim dole as he needs to permanent address to provide the dole office. What else can he do?
I'm going to set up some kind of funding events to help Frank. I plan to do a Facebook LIVE recording to raise people's awareness and interview him so people can learn of his plight. There were a number of people giving him drinks and sandwiches they'd bought for him which wasn't all too bad.
I went to the cash dispenser and drew out cash and gave it to Frank so he had a bus fare to the nearest hostel and enough cash to ensure he had a week's accommodation at the hostel along with meals and shower facility. He needs a lucky break, someone to help him to get back on his feet ... just like I needed a lucky break in New Zealand when I was jobless and due to have to leave the country because my work visa had been cancelled by a rather evil daughter of MD who'd set me up to get me sacked then contacted immigration to get me deported. My lucky break came in the form of a English man who'd given me a job offer when he needn't have done ... without him I may have been like Frank but with a Wife and three kids instead of dog companion in tow!
As Frank was leaving to catch the bus to Blackburn from Chorley, I noticed the Rune Eolh tattooed on his neck. It all made sense then how he'd survived in Iraq. I let him know the significance of the Rune Eolh ... explaining the legend that the Norse Beserkers did the same thing ... they wore Eolh on their bodies or weaponry and always returned from battle!!!!
I will keep a log of how it progresses with Frank in the coming weeks. I may well be donating money from the forthcoming S.P.O.O.K.S events to set up funding to help Frank and others like him! My dream is to buy a row of derelict terrace houses and open them up inside to create night shelters for homeless people so at least they have somewhere save and dry to sleep ...
