Hard Way Out
All John wants is a little inspiration for his next book. And what better place to find it than among the homeless of Spokane, Washington? At least, that was what he told himself when he packed a suitcase, left his wife and teenage son, and settled in beneath the underpass to make new friends. Now, he's the only person in what he's named "the living room" with fresh clothes, a subzero tent, and warm blankets. The people living under the highway, though, are far more than just fodder for an interesting story. Bear, a giant of a man with a kind smile and infinite patience, takes an interest in John when he sees the man talking to himself-another experiment-and offers to show him the ropes of homelessness. And it consists of far more than anyone would expect. Through the kindness of strangers, the strength in numbers, and a few physical altercations, the limits of John's body and sanity are tested in a world everyone else would rather ignore altogether. But when it comes down to what really matters, what lies beneath it all, John has to come to terms with both why he really left home in the first place and just what type of man he wants to be.