Homeless for over two years, Merl has hunkered down to endure a second winter in Eden, Colorado. He has lost the ability to trust or accept kindness as anything but a sneaky attempt to weaken for an attack. He sells aluminum cans and other trash to survive, knowing he should attempt to get back into the mainstream but he lacks the will to try.<br><br>Nate has led a sheltered and privileged life as the only child of wealthy older parents, now deceased. He is working on a photo journalism piece about the homeless people in Eden when he first encounters Merl. The big man impresses him so much that when an early blizzard hits, he goes back to the camps try to bring Merl and others to shelter in his own home.<br><br>Can he win Merl’s trust and cooperation in an effort to provide positive long term help to other homeless people in the area? Even more important, can he forge a real partnership with the suspicious older man?

Homeless in Heaven

Climbing down from the driver’s seat, he shrugged into his daypack, feeling the weight of the two big Thermos jugs settle against his back. Then he trudged off through the snow, close to knee-deep in places and almost down to bare ground in others. He passed several collapsed shelters, peering under the tattered tarps and torn tents to be sure no one was there. The news report had said many of the residents had finally given in and gone to shelters to weather the storm.


Thank God for that. But not all of them…


After about ten minutes, he came to a patchwork shelter that still stood. A thin trail of smoke issued from a flapped opening high on the front, like that of a traditional teepee. “Hello. Anyone home?”


He almost cheered when a bearded face emerged in another spot beneath the smoke hole. He recognized Merl at once.


Chapter 22