The Wayfarers..

[chain]

It was yesterday. I saw this fellow and his dog trudging up the exit ramp, headed apparently for a fast food resturant..or truck stop, to try to get another hitch. Saw alot of them this year, wayfarers; some young fellows, a few couples, and several really pitiful old fellows down on their luck. We had a young lady [transient bum] they call them 'lot lizards'; she came to our door at 2:00 a.m. one rainy night, she had jumped out of a car and run-off from a fellow she thought was going to harm her. We helped the sheriff out on that one, they found her up the road in another T-stop.

But it is sad, those lost souls some so pitiful, like the couple last summer that had all their belongings in two cart baskets...and three dogs riding along, a sight to see. I think I told about the young military fellow with the 'z' hair cut last Christmas camping out on the farm in 20 degree weather. Sheriff took him in and fed him, dropped him off at the county line.

But this guy today, as I passed him, he smiled and nodded; two large back-packs and leading his dog merrily on his way to somewhere......I felt guilty about something, I don't know why or what. My wife came in from shopping, said she saw the fellow with the dog and some lady was giving him some money...my conscience relieved, hope he makes it ok with his dog.

[Magicman]

Since we have a nearby Interstate highway, we see a good number of them passing through.  We have a fund set up for their assistance, but they have to go to the police station to get it.  Many won't.

[Autocar]

This a little different but we have a comunnity supper thats free at our church,we are feeding 277 some Wednesday nights. Alot of kids and middle age men and woman. Ive lined up jobs and told them about places that are hiring and so far they eather never showed up or never went to apply for the work. My human side gets pretty hard about these folks but my christian side says feed them and what they do with the rest of it is up to them and God. I try my darnest to look at them though my christan eyes but its hard very hard . The only thing I know is hard work and Ive aways been pretty hard on folks that shun away from life.

[snowstorm]

a lot lizzard is a play for pay girl at a truck stop

[fuzzybear]

   We are located at the end of the road. Really, Dawson City is so for north that you look south to see the northern lights. We get Hundreds of these lost souls here every year. There are enough businesses that hire day labor here, so they can make some money before they head over to Alaska or back down south.
    It is now Fall and the temperatures have dropped below freezing at night, but there are still a few here. They will either become a local for the winter or will try to find a ride south. If they become a local for the winter they will be looked after.
   We have a saying here in the north...."if you starve to death, It's because you couldn't swallow your own pride"  If you are in need you will receive. This is the last place on earth you want to be with nothing and a month of -50 temps around the corner.
   But then again The Yukon was settled by lost souls, Myself included.  I came here almost 25 years ago with a single change of clothes and $50. But myself like so many others before and since, found what we were searching for so desperatly......a place to call home.
  Every time I see a lost soul I say a prayer that they will find their place in this wonderful world. It seams I have been saying more prayers than normal the last couple of years.
FB

[tree-farmer]

I have been on the other end of this situation, I hit the road in 1972 as a 17 year old "lost soul", spent the next 3+ years with no address. In all I passed through 32 of 50 states hitch-hiking and back packing. Supported myself through odd jobs, short term employment and the kindness of strangers. I learned a lot about people during this time. Not to go into detail I will say there are angels walking amoung us, but by the same token there is real evil in the world. I'm thankful to have survived the experience and have a lot of good memories, but would not recomend it to anyone else. I still pay if forward when I run across a "wayfaring" soul. After all are we not all wayfarers through this life?

[Riggs]

Well said Tree-farmer, we're all just passing thru.

[chain]

It's good to see there are many who share compassion for our downtrodden.  Over the years, I've fed a few, nearly ran over a few, and this last spring I almost sprayed a fellow that had crawled under a poly tarp along side a field ditch to sleep.

I just had that 'feeling' the tarp wasn't supposed to be there and dodged around it, sure enough, a fellow jumped straight up.

But the military guy was a tough dude, well over 6', he could've passed for a Navy Seal. His camp made in a way not to show any campfire, we think he would wait until nightfall and stay in the t-stop or restaurants, camp in the brush and bushes in daytime. ???