The street lawyer.-

The building had been a department store, many years ago. Now the sign on it said SAMARITAN HOUSE.




-It is a private shelter, Morcadei said-Ninety beds. The foods ok. Some churches in Arlington got together and they pay for everything. We have been coming here for six years.





Inside we used a bedroom as an office. This is a good office, Morcadei said.- We can be private here.





-What out a bathroom? I asked.




-The are in the back. You dont get your own bathroom in a shelter.





I could hear radios. People were getting up. It was Monday morning and they had Jobs to go to.





-It is eas and they had Jobs to go to.





-It is easy to get a room here ?I asked Morcadei, although. I already knew the answer.





.Nearly imposible. There is a long waiting list.


-How long do they stay?




.Maybe  three months. This is one of the nicer shelters, so they are safe here. After three months the shelter tries to find them an apartment.


-And our childrens all come from shelters? I asked.


-Half come from the shelters, Morcadei said. The other half from the streets.


-We take anybody?


-Anybody whos homeless. The people here at this shelter have Jobs but they do not earn enough to pay rent for an apartment. So when they get one they lose it again. One missed paycheck and they lose their homes.


My first client was called Waylene, age twenty seven, two children, no husband. Her problema was not complicated. She had worked in a fast food restaurant. She started to tell us why she left her job, but Morcadei said that the reason did not matter.She had not had her last two paychechs. Because she had no add    ress, the restaurant has sent the checks to the wrong place. The checks has disappeared, and nobody at the restaurant cared.


-Will you be here next week? Morcadei asked.


Waylene was not sure. Maybe here, maybe there. She was looking for a job, she might move in with someone. Or get her own apartment.


We ll get your money and we ll have the checks sent to our office, said Morcadei. He gave her address of the 14 Street Law Center. She said Thanks and left.



Call the fast-food restaurant, Morcadei told me.


-Tell them you areWaylenes lawyer. By nice at first. If they don t send the checks, stop being nice. If necessesary, go there and get the checks yourself.




I wrote down everything Morcadei said, like it was complicated. Waylenes paychecks were for two hundred and ten dollars. My last client at Drake was trying to get nine hundred million dollars. But I was happy enough when I got home at the end of the day.