Personal Narrative Essay On Being Homeless

I am alone and cold. My ragged patched sleeping bag does not keep me dry when it rains. The only thing left that I have is my father’s brown leather coat, embroidered with his initials in red J.S.N - Jeremy Stanley Noel – the coat my mother would use to cover my eyes with whenever my father would become abusive towards her. Although, they are both gone now. My mother passed away and my father disappeared. I guess I could say I inherited that same trait as my father; running away. The dark dinghy dumpsters down the bland colourless alleyway became my home now. The streets of Chicago became my home now.

Living homeless, was a handful – of garbage. I would keep the alleyway “clean” and I would scare off anyone that was messing about in my lane.

I had the view of garbage underneath the large green smelly dumpster. I wanted to cry, I thought to myself ‘could this get any worse?’ I lay in that position for a while. Soon my eye caught something- underneath, was a clear rectangle package – it was untouched and inside was a white digital watch. The watched looked brand new as if someone had specifically placed it under there for me. This was awesome. I knew I could sell the watch to guy at the watch stand. I could earn some money to buy myself food and water. I ran down to the watch stand guy as fast as I could. It was around 8.30pm, the watch stand guy was closing up.

“HEY! HEY! HEY!” I pleaded desperately while running towards the stand. Out of breathing and my nose dripped with rain, I said, “How much would you like for this watch?”

“Hmm… I’ll buy off you for twenty dollars” The man made long eye contact with me. Then out of the blue, he asked me if I would like to work for him, he told me that he could do with someone sorting the magazines out and tidying up around his stand. He told me that he had saw me cleaning up around my alleyway and knew that I would be useful to the stand. I could not say no to this, this was something I could not refuse. I knew I could earn some money, save up and rent an apartment. All these ambitious thoughts were racing around my head, I instantly told him I would be honoured to help him out. I looked at him surreally, my bold blue eyes covered in

He cleaned me up and paid for me to stay in a hotel. Although I kept my father’s leather coat on at all times while working with him, I told him that it was the only thing that I had left of my father.

Stand and I started work at 8 am sharp every morning, although this one morning Stan was late. Time soon flew on and I began to set up the watch stand. Suddenly this man in a black business suit appeared and asked “Are you, Mr. John Noel?”

“Yes”…I said in a confused voice.

“I have a letter for you”, the man gave a white letter that had a gold sticker holding the envelope together. I opened the letter in front of the man, the handwriting was in blue italics and so I began to read –

“Dear John,

Six months ago, I was diagnosed with a tumour in my brain. I have been receiving treatment, however, it was unable to save me. If you have received this letter, just know that I am gone and wish you the best in