War and Peace in the Nuclear Age; Interview with A. I. Akram, 1987

Yes I was there for your. Money. But I think a bigger. Reason. Why. You.

Know you're. Right. To be wrong now. Just started. Still rolling. Right. Right. RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT. Right.

Right you. Are.

Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. Yeah. Okay. Right. Yeah. Right.

OK. I mean for the men here. Coming in cold tonight. It isn't going to get you. Going. What does the first snowfall mean. Well it means a guess of a forest really to stay stay at the inn and stay inside. Almost all day now it's too miserable out in the streets for them maybe elderly and the old timers the gents on crutches. It's just too difficult for them from the over outside so they'll be staying mostly inside the building in this kind of weather. They're also going to be coming in cold and

wet. And thank God we've got that heating system in here so that we can dry that clothing at night and take care of them like that because it's going to be rough this discount of weather is rough on them. What about the men who don't make it to the end. God help them I don't know. I'm hoping that they all do get here. I don't know where else they can go to get on the cover. I certainly would want to think them in and then abandon building tonight empty. Because when the temperature drops it's awfully cold inside those buildings. I think the majority by now know that the door is wide open here at the end and to not have to stay out there if they do. I just I just don't think they could live on that street. I think the cold in the wet would get to them. They'd be sick tomorrow or Frozen tomorrow. I just hope they don't. What about the women Paul. What happens to them. Well it's very little for the women right now. Plans call for a woman's facility in the New Inn which will be a year and a half off. In the meantime this is to good agencies and here in the south and there they're not able to handle the entire problem. But homelessness but Rosie's Place right here in the south and in Santa Maria House they do have shelter for

about 10 women each. In the meantime the women are forced pretty much to stay in the lobbies of hospitals or bus terminals. They just have to look out for themselves without the benefit of a pine street I'm afraid right now. It's rough. Has it has Boston. The community gotten better over the years as far as their treatment towards the homeless men and women. Well I felt a lot more support the more of the information gets out about the end of this work. It's very encouraging to see the people who are coming forward to help us he says a publisher he's been getting out about Iran and more and more volunteers are coming down here helping us with our food program helping us with donations of clothing. I found a great deal of support out there. I think people care and are interested and it's just a matter of letting know how they can get involved. So I have noticed an increase in support down here. You see five and a half years ago we had no food program and it wasn't until the community people heard about us and get interested. Now we have volunteers coming in every night of the week bringing in the

prepared food from their own homes so the churches will have other groupings they have. So the 365 nights we do have community people here and they are bringing the food in and I guess I'm going to bed with something in their stomach. What are you crowded especially in weather like this overcrowded. We presently have 240 beds and on a cold night like tonight we possibly have 30 40 men sleeping on the floor for lack of beds. At least they're on the cover. They will freeze to death and no one will have beds 300 beds for men which will take care of the problem I think and will be opening up 50 beds for women. So to be a big plus for the homeless community. OK. Yeah right. Paul if.

You know the people who are being be institutionalized pretty much. You know I don't. Thank.

You. Cardinal beautiful the whole week was good. A lot of different groups came down

and said of the usual food program they brought down the little extras Hotmail site a one night. Trinity Church. Great people up there oh yeah I love those ladies in the Back Bay. They do things with you know a little class. Yeah. And. A couple nights we had. A barber would put on a Santa Clause a costume. Oh yeah. Ended up gifts in the lobby. Boys love her anyway. That I don't know. It's a scientist you. Know we. We're just a bunch of extras. They knew it was because it was they knew they were lonely. So why deny it inside of the building so that you know let it be known in the year that we had all the volunteers this of the guys could ventilate. So they sent me a moment about it. They go to rub some woman and if you're comfortable being sad with her and crying the company said was only too much man to man or another guy just like having a laugh. So you go over the dance of the singing. Yeah I think. They could ventilate perfect truck. For. The guys and I

just thought it was great. Snow storm was a mixture of beauty and inconvenience depending on whether you were or something.

Else. What a dumb idea. OK Mom I hope you're watching you're happy you made your daughter is on TV. Today's snowstorm was a mixture of beauty and inconvenience depending on whether you were a child with a new Christmas sled or a motorist shoveling out a car. But for some people today a storm brought neither beauty nor a. Row on. Today's snow storm was a mixture of beauty and inconvenience depending on whether you were a

child testing a new Christmas sled or a motorist without a car. You. Get a little more I. Like it. Oh no. Not a bit. Today's snowstorm was a mixture of beauty and inconvenience depending on whether you were testing a new Christmas or a motorist shoveling out a car. But for some people today brought neither beauty nor in convenience but something far more serious a threat to their very survival. Lives.

Each winter several people die in Boston for the lack of a simple shelter. They have found the next morning huddled in alleys or snow banks. The victims of twin problems overexposure and drinking they are members of Boston's homeless population now estimated at five thousand people numbed by alcohol. They are caught out in the storm with no place to go. But the number of such deaths would be many times higher if it were not for this place. This place is in the business of survival. Oh.

It would. Break your. Heart.