I have been dealing with a homeless person who camps in my yard. This has been going on for a couple months. I had not seen him until a few days ago. I knew he was here because I kept finding bags of stuff in my yard. Sometimes the bags were filled with wrapping papers, left over food, old newspapers, and stuff that looked to me like trash. A couple times there were odds and ends like sunglasses, old jeans, old shirts, and lots of old socks. My tiny little yard is only three feet by twenty feet. I do not like being the trash pickup person for someone who is inconsiderate.

About a week ago I came out of my apartment and there he was. He asked if he could sit in the shade for a bit and I said yes. I am still not sure if that was the right thing to do, but it seemed like the humane thing to do. It is summer here and the temperature is up to about 100F most days. I seek shade myself when I go for a long walk or a bicycle ride. I did ask, however, that he pickup all of his trash.

I left to go run some errands. When I came back, he was gone and so was the trash. This seemed like progress. However, I then noticed that he had walked past my neighbors trash can and piled his trash up under her car. Why do that? Why not just put the old food wrappers, drink cup, etc. into the trash can?

Today he was laying on my sidewalk in the shade. I went around him, did some errands, and came back about three hours later. He was still there so I asked him to leave.

I have compassion, but I do not want this person thinking he has a right to live in my yard. I have not asked him for his name because I do not want to tell him my name. I do not want him telling people that I gave him permission to live in my yard.

Compassion is good. Being take advantage of is bad.