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

After everyone had eaten his or her apparent fill, Nate sat, uncertain what to do next. Evening had faded to night and darkness showed through the windows now. He wasn’t sure he could find clean clothes that would fit everyone, but he’d look. He remembered he’d never really cleaned out the closet in his parents’ room. Surely something of his mom’s would do for the girl, maybe not fit too well, but enoughfor decency. His father had not been tall but somewhat husky, so maybe he could find some sweats or something Merl could wear. His own clothes would probably fit the younger man and the old one for a stopgap.


“How would you folks like to get cleaned up? There’s a bunch of bathrooms in the house, and I think I can find something you all can wear for the time being.”


The young couple stared at him slack jawed for several seconds. “You mean it, really? A bath and something clean to put on?” The girl looked at him like he’d offered her a thousand dollars, no strings attached.


Chapter 25