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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2751740

Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:33:17 2011 No.2751740 [Reply] [Original]

A homeless friend of mine, who regularly comes to me for general advice, recently related a grievance shared by many in the homeless community.

This is an issue faced by many, and while I can take care of his individual concerns with the kindness of my closet : ] , many of his friends cannot and I'm not willing.

Basically, I'll transcribe what he said, paraphrased to roughly:

"If I need 'formal' clothes that I'll have to wear some day....where do I keep them so that they're kept nicely and not just like throwing a suit in a duffle bag sort of thing, while I'm on the streets? I'll be wearing casual clothes regularly, of which I'd probably only keep one, but what about for the suit, dress pants, tie, shoes etc? It's too expensive to hire out storage....too expensive to 'hire' suits as per the occasion. So far, clothing is the only thing that I have a problem with as a homeless person, food you can get 'disposable' with cash as you need....but not clothes....unless you throw out your clothes after every use like the fat cats on wall street!"

Any advice, to help solve this general problem for the homeless?

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:37:17 2011 No.2751749 holy shit this is actually interesting

>>	Scientist Tue Mar 22 04:39:17 2011 No.2751753 >>2751740 A standard answer is: get job, to get money, to get a place to put them, like a house or apartment.

>>	Inurdaes !V1sPhobos. Tue Mar 22 04:39:17 2011 No.2751754 File: 27 KB, 493x387, 1287403875366.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >homeless friend >not helping said friend to become un-homeless

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:43:17 2011 No.2751767 >>2751754 Ever thought that maybe he is homeless by choice.

>>	Inurdaes !V1sPhobos. Tue Mar 22 04:44:17 2011 No.2751772 File: 4 KB, 190x185, 1288871334067.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >>2751767

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:50:17 2011 No.2751785 You cannot function the same way as a normal person does in modern society if you are homeless. Also, let him keep his suit at your house.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:52:17 2011 No.2751794 >>2751767 >be homeless by choice >bitch about being homeless

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:54:17 2011 No.2751800 >>2751772 >>2751754 You've clearly never spoken to a homeless person. Most are that way from choice, particularly in Europe. Among the long-term homeless, virtually all are that way thru choice.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 04:58:17 2011 No.2751815 >>2751800 The homeless in America usually come in 2 flavors. Drug addicted, and legally insane.

>>	Scientist Tue Mar 22 05:04:17 2011 No.2751838 >>2751800 Most homeless are what we would normally consider "mentally ill".

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:12:17 2011 No.2751865 >>2751838 They chose to be insane.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:15:17 2011 No.2751881 >>2751865 No, they are mentally ill and, as such, have the freedom to live on the street like animals because the government don't give a shit about them.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:15:17 2011 No.2751883 Why the fuck does he say hire instead of rent?

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:15:17 2011 No.2751882 >>2751753 How do you get a job, if you cannot store a suit to do an interview with?

>>

camille Tue Mar 22 05:15:17 2011 No.2751876

>>2751740

Could he not fold the suit and seal it in some type of heavy-duty plastic bag in the bottom of his duffle? Same goes for shoes? The only problem I could think of with this would be a) added weight to the pack but it couldn't be more than 5 lbs and b) creases from where it was folded when he removes it...although that's fixable.

>>

Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:17:17 2011 No.2751890

You can't fold a suit guys. I know one homeless dude that would put fold his trenchy double over his swag when it was hot- it was wide enough to not crease it. You could do the same thing with a suit in a plastic bag, although it would be a little inconvenient.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:20:17 2011 No.2751899 is this a science issue?

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:23:17 2011 No.2751911 >>2751740 How about you, as his friend, store his formal attire for him. I'm sure your wardrobe can handle the extra load.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:24:17 2011 No.2751913 >>2751838 >>2751815 I'm not saying its a good choice, but its their choice nonetheless. I know one guy who sleeps rough because the underground Reich is tracking him by satellite. From his pov, sleeping rough is a perfectly rational thing to do.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:25:17 2011 No.2751916 >>2751911 >>2751911 >>2751911

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:26:17 2011 No.2751918 File: 18 KB, 400x362, TASC1IS.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] Solution. Then hang off of swag.

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:28:17 2011 No.2751928 >>2751882 That's the catch. Catch-22. >mfw I lol because that in that novel practically everyone is mentally ill, like the homeless

>>	Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:31:17 2011 No.2751940 >>2751911 >This is an issue faced by many, and while I can take care of his individual concerns with the kindness of my closet : ] , many of his friends cannot way to miss the point

>>

Anonymous Tue Mar 22 05:42:17 2011 No.2751984

Until as recently as last week I was living on the streets of Seattle and then San Francisco for nearly three months. I lost nearly all of my clothes and I can only hold on to one pair of dress clothes in case an interview ever happens.

My appearance in general, that of someone who walks and sleeps on the streets, has precluded me from many aspects of normal society. I don't have anywhere to store my clothes so I keep them in a duffel bag and a backpack, which I have with me at all times.

The problem brought up by the OP is a real problem that can only be remedied by the helping hand of someone with storage space to spare.

Unfortunately for people like myself, most Americans perceive a homeless man as part of "The Homeless". A terrible stereotype that adheres detrimental views to myself and others.

I am not a drug addict, and I am not mentally ill. I simply have no money or friends to help me.

I don't have an answer other than relying on the kindness of strangers, which I have not come across quite yet. I hope someone else has a better idea.