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June 14, 2005 Having read a number of articles on Useless–Knowledge written by Argile Stox, I was curious about his book “Computer – End Game.” I was not disappointed with what I read. Argile Stox is not in the same literary league as some of the great non-fiction writers, e.g., James Thurber, Norman Mailer, Tom Wolfe, or Joan Didion. Of course, he isn’t, if you’re looking for that kind of quality, head for your local library and dust off the shelves. But, Argile Stox has a story to tell and tell it he does. If I could affix a label to Stox’s writing style, the word “honest” comes to mind. Argile gives an honest accounting of a brief period in his life when he was without a home, a job, and a tomorrow. He did have unemployment checks, but if anyone has collected unemployment checks, they know that unemployment checks barely cover the cost of an electric bill (especially in the Big Apple). The idea of this story fascinated me because I am one of those “nasty” social workers depicted by some. However, my approach to social work is oriented to the “whys” and the “hows” of the dilemmas suffered by humanity. I wanted to know what a homeless person goes through in a shelter. I wanted to know about the emotions and the rejections. Argile did not disappoint me. Living in a huge men’s shelter and struggling to keep the same bed every night, became a way of life. Being moved from one dormitory to another almost weekly, became a routine. Yes, even homeless shelters were run in a thick bureaucratic blur of logic. Argile played the system of bureaucracy correctly. He flowed with the tide of illogic and used the programs (good or bad) to his advantage. He was fortunate. He left the huge men’s shelter downtown and went to a better shelter where he was able to access electricity and use his computer laptop (yes, homeless people do have some niceties). Argile was able to keep in touch with the outside world by going to Internet Cafes or using computers at Public Libraries. He was not your stereotypical man in rags, dirty, and disheveled. He shaved and showered everyday and took care of his health needs. He was hassled by some and befriended by others. In other words, life in a homeless shelter is not much different than life elsewhere. Except, Argile did not want to be homeless. This fact defined Argile Stox. He was not willing to accept his station in life. He wanted his life back and with determination and cleverness, he got his life back.
If you are just a little bit interested in life on the other side of the tracks, I recommend this book. If you’re a “nasty” social worker, don’t bother.
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