Family Feud

On a Wednesday evening, nestled in a corner of Martha’s Kitchen, Gary sits alone. As I join to keep him company and get to know his story, he asks me to guess what flavor the soup of the day is before he digs in. I guess clam chowder; it turns out to be cream and potato.

Gary, now 71 years old, recalled a time when he was moving to San Marin with his brother. During the drive, his brother suddenly turned to him and said, "Gary, if you know something about my kids and you're not telling me, then you're an a**hole." Gary did know something—he was aware that his niece was physically involved with multiple partners, and his nephew had a preference for same-gender relationships. But Gary didn't believe his brother was ready to handle this news and didn't want to betray the kids' trust. When Gary remained silent, his brother pulled the car over, and threw him out.

Finding himself homeless, Gary sought out a position at the United States Mission, an organization that offers a work based transitional housing program. However, when a coworker falsely accused him of using drugs, he was fired, and found himself on the streets once more. Desperate, he decided to share an apartment with several roommates. But when the landlady passed away, the complex was sold. With nowhere to go, Gary packed his things and called his son, who offered to pick him up. Suddenly, his phone died, and he plugged it in to a charger behind a gas station. He walked to a nearby Wendy’s to say goodbye to a couple of friends, and told them he was “leaving the city behind.” When he came back, his phone was gone. With no way to contact his son (who had no idea where in San Jose Gary was located), he was left stranded.

And with this, Gary found himself homeless, again, with no family to help him.