There is an old song by the group U2 called “A Beautiful Day”

Well, that was the exact opposite of what I experienced on Monday when I was “homeless” for a day.

I started out in Cheshire early in the morning around 8 a.m.-of course I had NO CAR and NO MONEY even for a bus-so I had to walk-which wasn’t that bad except it was very very humid and in the high 80′s.

The first thing I did was to get in contact with Social Services in Cheshire-they were very accommodating-and gave me some insights as to how I would have to get in touch with different state agencies-like welfare and job services.

Then, I called 211 and asked for shelter-I told them I might have to walk if I could not get enough money by picking up cans-OF WHICH THERE WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

You can tell the economy is bad-there aren’t even any cans to pick up!!

So I was directed to the single adult shelter-run by the Salvation Army in Waterbury. FYI-The St. Vincent de Paul Shelter in Waterbury that shelters families WAS FULL!!

You have to remember, 70 percent that is right-70 percent of all Americans live PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK!!

This is why this ridiculous spending with this pool and other non essential show off items like the astro turf, and the track for starters-MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH-considering what I had to go through on Monday just to make it through the day!!

Keep in mind-people do this EVERY DAY!! I used to do it-and unfortunately, now I am grappling with flashbacks-I don’t think this was a good idea for me-I mean it IS A GOOD IDEA-but for me-it just brought back BAD MEMORIES!!

After spending hours picking up some cans-I did scrounge up enough money to get on the bus to Waterbury-but had to walk several miles to the shelter which is not really open until 7 p.m.

So for the next few hours-I went to air conditioned places-like Brass Mill Center-then was able to get back on the bus to Cheshire.

Once there, I got my sleeping bag and my sign that said “homeless” and proceeded to go out on Rt. 10-the first place I went was near the Stop and Shop Plaza more near the side of Webster Bank where there were some trees for shade.

Well, I swear to God, I wasn’t out on the street more than a MINUTE-when GUESS WHAT I SAW-YEP–THE CHESHIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT-two vehicles drove by back to back-one of them being that big gas guzzler SUV they still insist on driving-and to be fair, I see other Police Departments in other towns driving big SUV’s for patrol.

WHY??

Don’t believe the whitewash on the news-it is VERY distorted. Just go down to any Dept of Labor for a dose of reality-there is a security guard and A COP stationed there at all times now-don’t forget 15,000 people just exhausted their benefits!!

I would love to find out what will happen to most of them-but of course that is impossible.

Then about 30 seconds later-ANOTHER patrol car drove by followed by yet ANOTHER PATROL CAR!!

Now, I am known in town-can you imagine what would have happened if they did not know me and I WAS REALLY HOMELESS!!

I am sure I would have been “encouraged” to get off the streets as quickly as possible-as what happened to a friend who went to a lower Fairfield County town last year with her homeless sign-the police came up to her right away-and offered to DRIVE HER TO STAMFORD-to a homeless shelter because it “wasn’t safe to be on the streets in this particular town-(that has the highest per capital income in the U.S.)!!

GET IT!!

I called the Herald but of course do you think THEY WOULD DO A STORY ON A HOMELESS PERSON SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN CHESHIRE??

Doesn’t look right-doesn’t fit the bill-doesn’t fit the image-I will tell you one thing-when I sat down and pulled out that sign-I nearly caused a three car accident!!

People actually slowed to a near stop and stared!!

Why??

Because this DOESN’T HAPPEN IN CHESHIRE THAT IS WHY!! The homeless problem is somewhere else-people aren’t DOWN AND OUT in CHESHIRE-isn’t that true (to a certain UNION REP)!!

Then on top of it-I am sure I did not fit the “stereotype” of who SHOULD be homeless-bums, drug addicts- vets,trailer trash white chicks-blacks and other minorities-NOT A MIDDLE AGED WHITE WOMAN!!!

While I was out there-I wore reflective sunglasses so I could look at peoples reactions, without them seeing me looking at them-VERY INTERESTING!!

Most women-stared at me-and looked sad-most men (not all) just glanced fast and drove by-I actually had people walk and jog right by me-and not even slow right down-not even ask if I were OK!!

I had a couple of people laugh-but I really think it was an uncomfortable nervous laugh-NO ONE YELLED OR SAID ANYTHING THOUGH!!

I wonder if they talked about it when they got HOME-I hope they did!!

I am sure a few stuck ups that live in Cheshire called the police asking if they could get me off the streets-I AM SURE THAT HAPPENED!!!

A young high school girl and boy actually came up to me-told me they only had two dollars and were willing to give that to me!! SAYS A LOT FOR THEM AND NOT FOR SOME ADULTS DOESN’T IT!!

The boy told me that no on in Cheshire would help because he said the town was”heartless”

Strong words-don’t you think-for someone that young!!

He was probably right in a way-you see if it isn’t on national TV or out in the spotlight-most people can’t be bothered ACTING like they care!!

But in all honesty, I really believe most people were just caught off guard-they didn’t expect this-they did not know what to think-let alone stop their car and approach-probably not a good idea for many people.

I actually ran into two people-a black man and a white woman-who were waiting for the bus at the stop across from the Town Hall-they told me they have been homeless from time to time-it is hard-because many times you can’t stay with relatives and friends-it is too much of a burden-and I am sure the economic times are making people less receptive to taking people in.

When you are out on the street-you have to watch everybody and their every move-it is very draining. I felt really bad when I left to go home for the day-I thought about the people that don’t have a home-have to put up with the shelters at night-no privacy-little dignity-the stigma attached to it-then try to find a place to crash during the day-THAT IN ITSELF IS A FULL TIME JOB!!

But you know what upset me more-the Police Department that kept driving by all the time!! WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY THINK I WAS DOING?? CHRIST I WASN’T OUT THERE ONE MINUTE AND THE TOWN GOVERNMENT FELT THREATENED!!

“OH WHAT IS SHE UP TO NOW”!!

Yeah, I am probably one of the few people that don’t act like I have a stick up my ass-GROW UP AND GET A LIFE!!

That reminds me of the incident a few years ago when a homeless man tried to sit in the Cheshire library-YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE!!

If the cops drove by me several times in less than a minute-you can imagine what this guy must have gone through.

In fact, the black dude waiting for the bus told me he notices the cops going up and down Rt 10 “an awful lot when I am sitting here”

IT FIGURES!!

I don’t know when I will continue this experiment-the Cheshire experience was very draining and depressing-I will keep you posted.

But it does put into perpective-how little our town officials AND MOST TOWN AND CITY OFFICIALS know and or care about spending priorities-

TAKE ANOTHER LOOK!!!