This is the true story of a man named Grover Cleveland. Not a bum, but a man. For a very short time I knew him as a friend and a teacher.
Grover Cleveland was a man who sat outside my physics 101 class when I was a freshman in college
We use to give him money, food, clothes, and sometimes beer
The rich kids would walk by him, called him names, and often times spit on him
I remember watching one take a sandwich from him. The trust fund bastard spit on it and gave it back to him
I thought to myself “What a jerk!”
Still, I really didn’t do anything
Grover Cleveland lived in a box
Often times he invited a few of us over to his “house” to chat
Grover Cleveland lived in a box
It was his house, it was his castle
Grover Cleveland lived in a box behind a church
Behind a church
Behind a church Grover Cleveland lived in a box
Still, they didn’t do anything
Peace and good will on earth, now get that dirty bastard off the church property
They had him arrested, the preacher assaulted him, and they wouldn’t even give him food
He lived in a box, behind their church
They give money to the white-haired rich guy on TV with the $2500 rhinestone jacket, but they had him arrested and wouldn’t help him eat….in god we trust
It never seemed to bother Grover Cleveland though
Nothing ever got him down
He knew he had a place in heaven, he had it planned out
He told me he was going to live next to Jesus, in a mansion
I guess that made it ok to live in a box behind the Lutheran church
He was a very interesting man
If half of what he said he did was true we would all be lucky to live in that box
I gave him my shoes once
They were too big on him but he didn’t complain
As a matter of fact I never heard him complain…about anything
He loved the shoes
Black and white canvas shoes
It’s all I could afford, but more than he had
I had an old pair that had a little bit of wear on them
Besides, I knew if I asked my mom and dad they would get me a pair…mom knew where they went
Later that winter Grover Cleveland stopped coming around
After a couple of weeks and I went looking for him
We went to his “house” and we found him
He froze to death
In an effort to get him to move away from the church property they, the church, took his blankets and clothing and threw them away
I remember joking once that it would take a fire to kill the smell
I wasn’t laughing about it anymore
Grover Cleveland was a good man
Grover Cleveland was a just man
Grover Cleveland froze to death in a box behind a church
Behind a church
In a box
Alone
Hungry
I miss him even still today
It’s been ten years
He was a good teacher
Because of him I learned a lot about myself and the person I wanted to be
Grover Cleveland was a bum who froze to death in a box behind a church…he was a better man than anyone in that church
I believed in the church in those days
I believed in God in those days
Those days are gone
Grover Cleveland was a good man, who lived in a box behind the church
He doesn’t live behind the church anymore…they killed him
If you want to talk to him you’ll have to wait
He lives in a new house, next to Jesus. If Jesus is there.
I hope
I hope
I hope he’s warm now…
I know nothing about this church or it’s members. I am sure they are all wonderful people. This photo was shot after midnight.
Exquisitely emotive, compassionately clear. Your words take the reader on a journey of the mind and soul and have purpose. Well done my friend.
This is a beautifully written story. It is very thought provoking. I believe Grover is happy and warm next to Jesus. For it is about whether Mr Cleavland believed in Jesus, not whether that church believed in Mr. Cleavland. Unfortunately many churches have become so closed minded and focused on their own little rules and regulations, that it has steered many people away from their faith.