November 14, 2007
I would have expected a scar at least, if not a mark so bad that he could not see out of one eye; this of the always first through the door MC 24.
MC 24 is one of the homeless guests at the Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph, a homeless shelter on the near west side of Chicago. He is a moderately heavy set man, African American, and always wearing sunglasses. His presence demands utmost respect, especially from the volunteer working the morning shift when at 5:00am every morning he notions to us to open the garage so he can ride off on his bike with a flashing light on the front. The rumor among the volunteers and staff is that he was at one time a gang leader in Chicago, and because of that no one dares mess with him. While the standard procedure is to let the regulars in first (40 guys who have been at the shelter for more than 6 months and are able to be trusted), for some reason they (and the shelter staff) know to let MC 24 (24 for the bed # he sleeps in every night) in first. He goes straight in without getting food, does a few things in the bathroom, and then sits on the edge of his bed with his sunglasses still on until the lights go off. And if the lights are not off by 9:30pm like is procedure, he will be the first to let us know, allowing him to roll over, take off his sunglasses and go to sleep.
I would have expected a scar at least, if not a mark so bad that he could not see out of one eye; this of the always first through the door MC 24.
MC 24 is one of the homeless guests at the Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph, a homeless shelter on the near west side of Chicago. He is a moderately heavy set man, African American, and always wearing sunglasses. His presence demands utmost respect, especially from the volunteer working the morning shift when at 5:00am every morning he notions to us to open the garage so he can ride off on his bike with a flashing light on the front. The rumor among the volunteers and staff is that he was at one time a gang leader in Chicago, and because of that no one dares mess with him. While the standard procedure is to let the regulars in first (40 guys who have been at the shelter for more than 6 months and are able to be trusted), for some reason they (and the shelter staff) know to let MC 24 (24 for the bed # he sleeps in every night) in first. He goes straight in without getting food, does a few things in the bathroom, and then sits on the edge of his bed with his sunglasses still on until the lights go off. And if the lights are not off by 9:30pm like is procedure, he will be the first to let us know, allowing him to roll over, take off his sunglasses and go to sleep.
