Life under the bridge: Homeless and mentally ill in SLO County | The Tribune & SanLuisObispo.com

Marilyn’s belongings — multiple blankets, bags of clothing and sleeping bags given to her by those meaning well — surrounded her. “I’m psychologically attached to this stuff,” she said.

Although Marilyn may be a member of our community’s homeless population, she isn’t necessarily dispossessed. While a bad knee, an ulcer and asthma — as well as her attachment to her things — had kept her under the bridge morning, noon and night, she had a network of friends who had been bringing her buttered toast and sweet rolls in the morning and Chef Boyardee in the evenings.

On this particular summer morning, the air had a faint smell of urine, and a rat brazenly scampered near Tribune photographer David Middlecamp’s shoes, staring him down from a bridge abutment.

via www.sanluisobispo.com

Comments

[kosmo disk]

had been bringing her buttered toast and sweet rolls in the morning and Chef Boyardee in the evenings.