Cross-legged Samaritan

The more you utilize other facilities the better - toilet, shower, cafe anything that can make your own resources last longer. It’s not more difficult, it’s just different habits than if you live in a house and I got used to it quite quickly – it only takes a month to make a new habit.  As for where to stay overnight, well that turned out easier than I thought. The trick to parking in the street overnight is not to draw any attention at all - no noise, no lights, no clumsy moving around and particularly careful timing if using the toilet.

I visited a friend and went out for a meal, then as I was leaving the restaurant I meant to use the toilet - but forgot. Having bid goodnight to my friend outside her house I returned to my van nearby. Id asked her was it peaceful enough to sleep where Id parked and she believed it would be, so I started to settle down with the intention of watching a movie. I didn’t need to put on interior lights as I had parked under an old sodium type streetlamp that was streaming through the skylight. Just before I put the movie on I remembered to visit the loo. But before I opened the bathroom door - I heard talking directly outside.

There was a distraught woman talking on the phone explaining that she had come out of her house so she could speak privately without alerting her family to her obvious trauma (I guess she was talking to some kind of councilor) no matter where I positioned myself in the van I couldn’t help avoid eavesdropping. Of course, I could only hear her side of the conversation.

“Yes, I’m safe, I’m hiding behind a van so they can’t see me, I just told them I wanted some fresh air but I only came out so I could phone you, I feel terrible”

She meant my van. Nearly an hour later I was getting a bit desperate to pee.

Here I was listening to a private outpouring right out in the street while using my van as cover - unaware that I was sat inside hearing her most private thoughts. Uncomfortable listening. I felt really sorry for her.

Grumbling about being desperate for the loo felt quite rude – and imagine not using your very own loo because you didn’t want to disturb someone outside?

But then I guess we were both outside.