I've worked hard this week to help a recent parolee, who got out without a net.  The system messed up, for reasons I won't get into right now, and failed her.  Despite this, she managed to remain clean and sober for a week after her release.  At five-thirty this morning, we talked about her meeting with her Parole Officer for the first time, after years of going in and out of jail.  Everything went well with her P.O. at eight in the morning.  Then we split up, me to look for temp. housing for her and she to ostensibly pick up her "book money" from working whilst incarcerated.

I spent a few hours trying to get her placed until her court date on Tuesday.  The shelters here have a lot of rules and she also didn't get the paperwork she needed from the Court last Friday.  She cannot go into a Shelter without papers that she won't get until next Tuesday, at her new court date.  This morning after meeting with her P.O., she was smiling.  I'd coached her on remaining calm, stating her desire to keep clean and the Serenity Prayer.

She's gone.

It sickens and saddens me.  But there is hope for some of the furry beasties, at least.  For the cast-off animals of California, one woman is living her life with purpose.  We need more people like her.  For all of our cast-offs.