Marcel Legros - Play the Game of Life

On my way to meet with a customer, I pulled up to an intersection and had to stop for a moment. A few feet away, a young man was standing beside a hand written sign. The sign read, “Homeless and hungry. Please help. Will do anything for money, except work.” The man looked healthy, strong, and had boyish good looks. He was intently reading a book and had a small bag laying beside him, also filled with books. He obviously wasn’t illiterate.

Where I live today, there is a massive labour shortage. Unless you’re a mass murderer, you can get a job with good wages. If this man showered, shaved, and put on some clean clothes, he would have a job by the end of the day. I really wanted to ask him why he chose homelessness over work but my blood was boiling over the statement on the sign. I’m still angry that a person would choose to suffer for a few cents on a street corner.

The irony is, being homeless isn’t for the lazy - It’s a lot of work! Any job is easier than living outside - you’re always cold, damp, tired, and hungry. How much work is it to be homeless compared to holding down a job and paying rent?

Work

1. Sleep in a bed. Wake early every day to be on time for your job.
2. Sometimes you dislike or disagree with your boss. He can make your life stressful.
3. Your job can be boring and tedious. You might work long hours for low pay or not have enough free time to enjoy the money you earn.
4. You ‘sold out’ for a paycheque.
5. You determine your own future. If you have a dream, use your mind, and put the work in, you’ll succeed.

Homeless

1. You never sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. Noises are unpredictable and potential threat is constant. Shelters are even more dangerous than the street.
2. You dislike or disagree with everyone who tells you to get a job. While people aren’t verbally abusing you, they’re busy ignoring you. The whole world is hostile and stressful.
3. You have all the time in the world to scavenge for bottles in a dumpster. At 10¢ a bottle, you’re lucky to make $2-$4 an hour and you smell like garbage.
4. You can exchange sex for money. You might hit the big-time and become a successful drug dealer. You sold your soul and ruined the lives of others for a paycheque.
5. Government, law enforcement, and charity determines your future.

Not half an hour had passed when I was driving up a one lane on-ramp onto the freeway. Perched between traffic and a concrete barrier, were two young hitchhikers looking for a ride. They were camped - not moving from their dangerous position. There was absolutely no place for a car to pull over; cars generally speed up on an on-ramp. What the hell were these people thinking?! I have a feeling they’re still waiting for a ride.

The universe was sending a clear message to me today:
Common sense isn’t common, and it’s a lot of work to be homeless.