Constructing Identiteis

While with Stand Up tonight I met a man in a shelter whose son was in the age group we serve. He said his son was in the shower, and that he would go get him. After passing on the message, the father stood with us, explaining how his son had an open scholarship to a motorcycle management school, all he had to do was get his GED.

It struck me as interesting how quickly the homeless father offered this anecdote about his homeless son. The implicit message was clear: "My son isn't a bum, this is only a temporary thing."