With the whole world panicking and terrified of coronavirus I thought you might like a dose of normal life readers. When I say normal life I mean normal in the abnormality homeless sense. Hey would you expect anything but a streetside view from me readers?
Now regular readers will probably know I’m a pretty chilled sort of lass used to the extreme harshnesses in life. So I hope you’ll appreciate my utter astonishment and outright shock when Feedspot listed me in the Top 100 UK blogs. In fact this homeless human is number 79!
In fact this year it seems more and more of you good people in Internetland are finding, reading and hopefully enjoying my blog. I hope you can see past the differences of our lives and find some strength and encouragement for yourselves in my words.
The Streetside View
Back in the physical world I’m still stuck in Edinburgh Scotland. I have a sofa I can stay on here and am usually very careful not to use up my sofa staying credits. Covid19 AKA coronavirus is forcing me to use way too many.
However I’m taking this time to heal, rebuild my strength and generally take stock. I had a nasty run in with the Gender Police about 2 weeks ago. The bruises have healed now but I do need to replace the zip on my trousers. I haven’t shared the full details as this is not an age restricted blog. Plus I doubt you’d believe me.
It was extremely bad I’m copying with it via humour. Seems Gender Police were upset I didn’t urinate outside a supermarket and dared to use the female toliets. I also refused to bend my legs to help them manhandle me into the van’s cage. Must of lost my reasonableness when they put the bag over my head. Luckily the Gender Police aren’t as bad as the Fashion Police. I was imprisoned for 17days for crimes against fashion!
My Streetwise instincts are going berserk about Covid19 it just doesn’t sit right. I’ll explain my suspicions later in this post.
Homeless Services – Standard
Now my UK based readers will know that all rough sleeping homeless people are being housed due to Covid19. All except me that is. There are various orgainisations and charities that have a legal duty to house me but……….you get the picture.
It also seems that me saying repeatedly both verbally and in writing to email me, actually means I get a phone call and empty email inbox.
In fact I’ve had homeless services telling me since 20th March that they are urgently trying to find me accomadation. Don’t worry they haven’t. I think I’d die of shock not coronavirus if they actually did.
Corruption and lost post
The more astute of you can look online and find that Streetwork run the main Edinburgh homeless service. I was given written permission to use their address for corespondance purposes. Then they barred me until I sign a contract I’m not allowed to see. Welcome to the world of homeless services.
I did have a interview for a degree based apprentiship program. The interview is now online and the employer has sent out information via post to candidates. So I went to Streetwork to collect this letter.
Unfortunately I got the standard response. Luckily they called the police saving me a job. Eventually I got 2 letters thrust into my hand but not the letter about my interview. I wasn’t allowed to sign for the letters which is the normal protocol. Police said it’s because of Covid19. Readers are you smelling the same rat as me yet?
Politics of Drugs
As we’re all on lockdown there’s a lot more police about than usual and the streets are almost empty. There’s still a few folk out begging but they are unlikely to be getting anything like their usual begging earnings. I suspect some are sitting as watches, seeing who’s walking around in certain areas.
The normally abundant free food outlets have more or less disappeared. The drug dealers, who on the whole aren’t homeless, must be really upset. Their usual marketplaces have gone. Streetwork hub used to be known as somewhere you went to buy drugs but there are now massive restrictions on entry. I’m sure if your a trusted addict you can still purchase your fix there.
On the upside I’ve not been told I’m going to be murdered, severely beaten up, that they’re going to get *insert name* is going to *insert graphic violence* to me. It’s quite nice and very strange after the last few years. The Streetside view of homelessness is like infant school with added violence. Best way is to not react and laugh when they’ve disappeared.
The Human Divide
It seems that people are splitting into 2 groups. I’m not talking about just homeless people but everyone. There are those that are relaxing and seeming to enjoy life more. However some are beginning to lose the plot. I had abuse shouted at me today by someone I vaguely recognised because I dared to say I knew where I could get food. I’d just been to the place he was directing me to. After I walked off I noticed him take a sneaky swig from his concealed bottle. I’ve been snapped at in a simular fashion by a long term follower on social media.
War on Dirty Money
There’s a lot about Covid19 that doesn’t add up to me. Easier for victims of crime to be locked up in psychiatric hospitals and harder for criminals to be jailed. The courts have more or less closed. Increased police presence in the almost deserted city. There are riot vans driving around parks.
Everything is online with those who haven’t got the mobile data or space in their phones memory for the new app excluded. I’m resigning myself to the fact I won’t be able to take part in my online interview. The apprentice pay would of been more than I’ve ever earnt before. Guess I’ll just have to remain streetside.
The NHS seems to be the new religion to worship now all the churches are shut. Nobody is allowed to gather together so we can’t demonstrate against harsh restrictions of Covid19. And I’m thinking what sort of dirty money is this really a war on?
The Life and Times of Billie the Human 