Sunday, February 24, 2008

a cup of coffee

So this morning we invited a homeless person into our apartment.

That was how I woke up: I heard a voice in the hallway, and then my wife's voice, laughing and then: do you want a cup of coffee? I think my husband is awake.

Schmutzie swung into my view. I've invited someone in for coffee. He was drying his feet by the radiator in the hallway. I think he slept out there last night.

This is the start of any good Flannery O'Connor story. A non-religious but decent couple play the Good Samaritan and get destroyed for their pride (masquerading as kindness). That's the O'Connor path to Grace, I guess.

— What is... who? Do we know him?

— I don't think so. I get a good vibe from him though.

— I am not wearing pants.

And there he was, giving off good vibes: brown jeans, boots, a puffy hooded green jacket and a brown nylon touque pulled down over hair that could likely use a wash. His eyes were bright blue and slightly buggy. From his chin sprouted a thick goatee that jutted outward two inches from his face. He seemed completely unfazed that he was standing in a stranger's home.

He also seemed unfazed by our living room, which had a queen-sized bed in it and a half-asleep pantsless guy under the covers.

— Hi there. My name's Trevor.

— Hi. I'm just going to put on some pants.

Over the next hour and a half we sat around and drank coffee. Trevor had just been kicked out by his girlfriend, his car had broken down and work had run dry for him. It was pretty much the Hard Luck Trifecta, and I would have suspected that he was spinning a story for sympathy if it hadn't been for his unassuming manner. The strangest moment came when he told us that he was an avid ballroom dancer. When he left, he invited us to a dance session in a church basement.

10 comments:

Ozma said...

If it was O'Connor though Trevor would run off with Schmutzie and take your cats too. Or your wooden leg. If you had one.

You should totally go to that dance!

blackbird said...

A good deed.

blackbird said...

Oh!
email me an mp3 of that song, wouldya?

Abigail Road said...

That really was nice of you.

jon deal said...

Bravo, you two.

Anonymous said...

Ha! Ha! I was just pretending so I could blog about it.

Trevor

trinity67 said...

I want your guys' life.

palinode said...

ozma - If it were an O'Connor story, Schmutzie and I would have a deaf-mute daughter that we'd try to marry off to Homeless Trevor, and he'd take her and dump her at a coffee shop in the next town over.

blackbird - It was a bit strange, but it worked out okay. And yes, I'll email you that song. File sharing! We's outlaws!

abigail road & jon deal - Thanks. The kudos should go to Schmutzie, though, who invited him in.

anonymous trevor - Damn you Trevor! I trusted you!

trinity67 - I can give you the student loan portion of my life. That's probably the most exciting part.

Rebecca said...

So, are you two going to the ballroom dancing?

Bruce Johnson said...

It seems that every down-on-their-luck homeless person has some secret hidden talent.