I got to talking to my sister a while a go and we have decided that there are four degrees of Homelessness. As you may have assumed, we have drawn upon our combined experience as homeless people and have discovered that we have about a months worth of "being" homeless, so we figure that this qualifies us to establish the following:
THE FOUR DEGRESS OF HOMELESSNESS:
1st Degress Homelessness: This is what I was for a whole week. This degress of homeless people have "stuff" and a "place" to go, but still do not have a home or actual established place of residence. These people have material possessions (such as clothes, vehicle(s), books, etc), an established place to put said "stuff" and possibly have a bed to sleep in. But they DO NOT have the ability to call where they are staying "HOME" per se. It's just a temporary domicial. Also included in this, the person might possibly have a job or some type of income other than welfare or some other type of Goverment assisted program. You get the picture.
2nd Degree Homelessness: This type of person is a step down from the one listed above. Except for this person doesn't have the "place" to go. For example, my sister has "stuff" and people that she knows. But she didn't have a "place" to go or an established place to sleep. So she just stuffed all her "stuff" in her car and was couch-hopping. One night she would sleep at a friends house, the next night at another friends house, the next a family members house, etc. She was homeless w/ "stuff" but no place to stay. She just relyed on the mercy of her friends and family. There are others that follow this same pattern. They are the couch-crashers that we sometimes get to know and sometimes hate.
3rd Degree of Homelessness: This brand of homeless person is sort of a reversal of the 2nd Degree person. This person may have places to go and people to see. But they are without "stuff". Maybe a few things but nothing of real value to the outside world. The Apostles of OT times are a good example. "Traveling without purse or script"...but they had stuff to do and they relyed on the mercy of the people that they were among. There are people like this today. Those that hitchhike cross country are a sort of this. Nothing really of value to do they have, a few items, but no place to call their own. Then there are the traditional homeless people that were are familiar with, but with an advantage...they know how to work the system. I've met a few of these in Iowa. They go from shelter to shelter, they know when the different lunchtimes are, and they are "well established" in this system (i.e. they know who people are at the shelters). They are the "regulars" at these shelters.
4th Degree: This class of homeless people are the sterotypical, box-living, ragged-clothed individuals that we see in movies and on tv. These people have no "stuff" and no established place of residence, you know what I mean. These are the the "bums", the "bag-ladies", and "vagabond" that wander the streets looking in trash bins for their next meal and for stuff to wear. Some even have signs that say such things as "Will work for food". I have much sympathy for these individuals.
There is the "Johnson's list of the 4 degress of Homelessness". If you can think of anyone I left out, please let me know, a Revision might be in order. But this is what my sister and I came up with while driving. One of those things you talk about when on a long drive. Holla back.
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