Left Without a Place to Live

Being homeless, even for a temporary time period, isn’t an experience that anyone can find fun in having. I was homeless for a little bit because of an apartment fire that took most of my belongings with it. I was living out of my car with a backpack and a couple of books. I used the apartment finder for Columbia SC to find a new place to live. I was able to use this by logging into the local library’s Internet connection with my laptop. The library is one of the few places in the city where anyone can access the Internet for free.

In my old apartment, I lived on the 5th floor, and getting down during the fire wasn’t an easy experience. I had to make a rope out of bed sheets because the stairs were on fire and the elevator was not working. When I got a new apartment, I got one on the lowest floor. If there’s every any reason that I have to leave the apartment and I can’t walk out the front door, then I can just jump out of the window and land right on the grass. No need to worry about he stairs or the elevator.

Experiencing the fire and being homeless has given me a little fear. I get a little paranoid when I see a fire left unattended or when I think that it is getting out of control. I also have a fear of riding in an elevator, because of what might happen if the building catches on fire. When I stay outside for a long period of time, I become a little anxious. It’s going to take a lot of time to overcome these issues, but I believe that I can get over it with time and the right help.