Finding a job, he added, is hard because he has no address or telephone number needed to complete an application. One of the most difficult issues Jason faces is illness. He said that when he gets sick it is frightening. He has had several bad chest colds and once he thought he had pneumonia. Eventually one of his friends brought him some cough syrup and aspirin.
Sleep brings another fear.
Jason admits he does worry about being assaulted and often worries about the authorities finding him. The authorities, meanwhile, would not be surprised at Jason s situation. Through an outreach program the only one in the county to assist runaway teens the organization tries to provide as much assistance as the teen is willing to accept. According to Ms. Scott, one of the greatest frustrations is when someone calls and says they saw a kid sleeping under a bridge and wants OCO to do something. OCO does provide a hotline for runaway teens, and one of the suggestions for getting out of the elements is to find a grocery store that is open all night.