Everyone wants to put two bucks on his nose in the last couple minutes before the starting gun.

[Bill Cady]

THE UNDERDOG

The definition of an underdog is about as plain and simple as that of being homeless. Both are very easy to understand. The underdog is the contestant, or the team in some cases, everyone expects to lose. The homeless are understood by everyone to have already lost.

Yet, there’s a significant difference, all the same. While the crowd, (and often some rather eager bettors), anticipate one will come out on the bottom, they secretly hope that’s untrue. It’s in our makeup to root for the guy who goes against all odds and emerges the victor. Gives each of us a tiny grain of hope we might just prevail in our own personal battles.

An underdog has people on his side. The uglier the odds, the more fans he’ll draw. If a horse is 25:1 at the betting window, he’s gonna draw a large crowd of hopeful supporters in those final minutes before the bell rings. Long shots are what make dreams come true. Anyone and everyone will tell you, “It ain’t gonna happen” but, at the same time, they know it could. Not very likely, but it’s not impossible.

Inversely, the vast majority insist becoming homeless, particularly for them, is impossible. My now learned response to that one is, “Wrong-o, buffalo breath, it not only can happen to you, the odds are far greater than you think.” Most people in this country, (in excess of 95% of us), are a lot shakier financially than they’ll admit. Maybe more than they even know.

The majority are the equivalent of 1-2 months income away from being homeless, just like those folks you spurn at every opportunity. Very few have the necessary CIF to handle two months of living expense. Escaping homelessness, (the first time, maybe even the second time), means we must resort to traveling one of two avenues: borrowing or RFC. In the case of borrowing to forestall disaster, that’s often not possible, simply because of the hopeful person’s status. As far as RFC, if it’s available, it’ll mean forgoing some, (occasionally all), the independence you’ve worked so hard to acquire.

The sad fact, appalling actually, is the extremely minimal number of supporters who’re willing to stoop to help the homeless. Practically everyone will do something to make things better for the guy they see as destined to lose, but they will do essentially nothing when they feel the outcome has already been determined.

“Is there any way that can be changed?” you might wonder.

You bet there is. You’re about ten bucks away from finding out how to do exactly that the very next time you come across a homeless person.

I’m just sayin’.

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