Dear Jack,
I've a friend who's name is Joe. He came to New York from Texas about a week or two before I moved here. He's my age, a good looking young man, very friendly... the boy next door. He left Texas because his family, a devout LDS family, was not willing to deal with his sexuality. He is gay.
He arrived in New York, the hub of the world. He knew not what to expect or what led him here... a search for freedom, perhaps. He found a roommate to live with, turns out the guy was gay also. He was the first person to flirt with Joe, and Joe crushed on him. In the end, they were not going to work out, and Joe had to leave. Not having a place to go, Joe stayed on the streets of New York.
He found himself in despair. He eventually was found by an older man who took pitty oh him. He helped him find a job, and get a place to live. The man, in return, gave he impression he wanted sexual things. Joe put this off, not wanting to do so. He swallowed his pride and called his parents back in Texas, and they sent him a little to live on.
It was at this point in his life, that he and I met.
I had been hanging out with my friend Bob, a Methodist MA student in his fifties. We would go have coffee and chat each week. It was on one such night that I came back to the close, and saw a group of people entering with one of the students, Chris.
Not really wanting to go back to my room and be alone, I took my friendship with Chris as a way of inviting myself to hang out with these people. We went to Chris' room and chatted. They had bought some drinks at the local store and were sharing them in her room, so as to not have to pay a lot at a bar. The majority of the group worked at one of the local Starbucks. It was here, with this group, that I met Joe.
Joe stuck out to me, as I thought I had seen him before. It turns out we had glanced at each other in passing earlier that night. He and I hit it off as friends.
Later that night the whole gang went to a club called Krash. It was there that he asked for my phone number, I assume as a friendship basis. I know I had offered friendship. He then walked with Chris and I part of the way home, before heading his way towards where he was staying.
He and I met and hung out twice over the next few weeks. He shared his story, and his hopes and fears. We discussed prayer, and how things can change, and that there is hope. And we began a friendship.
Then I stopped hearing from him. The people at Starbucks stopped hearing from him.
Tonight, while at the Starbucks with my friend Rick, a student here from LA, I decided to send him a text message. "Are you dead?" as I had not heard from him. Then Rick and I went to see Polar Express.
After coming out, at 11PM, I got a reply. "Of course not... but homeless...eh"
Since that moment, I've had Joe in my mind. I fear the truth behind it. I feel a sadness and a desire to reach out. I am not sure what to do, but I offered my futon to him. I read his mentioning he's homeless as a call for help. I ask you to pray for this guy.
You never know what it is like until you walk in their shoes.
I've a friend who's name is Joe. He came to New York from Texas about a week or two before I moved here. He's my age, a good looking young man, very friendly... the boy next door. He left Texas because his family, a devout LDS family, was not willing to deal with his sexuality. He is gay.
He arrived in New York, the hub of the world. He knew not what to expect or what led him here... a search for freedom, perhaps. He found a roommate to live with, turns out the guy was gay also. He was the first person to flirt with Joe, and Joe crushed on him. In the end, they were not going to work out, and Joe had to leave. Not having a place to go, Joe stayed on the streets of New York.
He found himself in despair. He eventually was found by an older man who took pitty oh him. He helped him find a job, and get a place to live. The man, in return, gave he impression he wanted sexual things. Joe put this off, not wanting to do so. He swallowed his pride and called his parents back in Texas, and they sent him a little to live on.
It was at this point in his life, that he and I met.
I had been hanging out with my friend Bob, a Methodist MA student in his fifties. We would go have coffee and chat each week. It was on one such night that I came back to the close, and saw a group of people entering with one of the students, Chris.
Not really wanting to go back to my room and be alone, I took my friendship with Chris as a way of inviting myself to hang out with these people. We went to Chris' room and chatted. They had bought some drinks at the local store and were sharing them in her room, so as to not have to pay a lot at a bar. The majority of the group worked at one of the local Starbucks. It was here, with this group, that I met Joe.
Joe stuck out to me, as I thought I had seen him before. It turns out we had glanced at each other in passing earlier that night. He and I hit it off as friends.
Later that night the whole gang went to a club called Krash. It was there that he asked for my phone number, I assume as a friendship basis. I know I had offered friendship. He then walked with Chris and I part of the way home, before heading his way towards where he was staying.
He and I met and hung out twice over the next few weeks. He shared his story, and his hopes and fears. We discussed prayer, and how things can change, and that there is hope. And we began a friendship.
Then I stopped hearing from him. The people at Starbucks stopped hearing from him.
Tonight, while at the Starbucks with my friend Rick, a student here from LA, I decided to send him a text message. "Are you dead?" as I had not heard from him. Then Rick and I went to see Polar Express.
After coming out, at 11PM, I got a reply. "Of course not... but homeless...eh"
Since that moment, I've had Joe in my mind. I fear the truth behind it. I feel a sadness and a desire to reach out. I am not sure what to do, but I offered my futon to him. I read his mentioning he's homeless as a call for help. I ask you to pray for this guy.
You never know what it is like until you walk in their shoes.
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1 comment:
(January 8, 2005 2:00 PM - Transcribed from Old Blog)
Definately with the praying thing.
On a side note however, since your new years resolution was to keep up with your journal...update already!
Thank you *hug*
Later:)
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