My friend Mary got her car out of the shop Wednesday afternoon at 4:30pm. She drove to my house, where she is currently staying, woke up bright and early to drive up 128 to work in Acton and her car started smoking. She pulled her car over to the side of the road, got out and the car burst into flames! Luckily, a good Samaritan had stopped and told her to move away from her vehicle so she was unharmed. Needless to say, the car is totaled.

I've known Mary since 1980. She is one of the nicest, funniest people I know but this woman cannot catch a break! I have done the best I can for the past year but now I need help to help her.

Last year at the end of July, Mary's sister called to tell me Mary would be experiencing homelessness on August 1st. Mary was planning to live in her car. After checking with my incredibly nice landlord, I told Mary she could stay with me in my tiny house and we would work to organize her finances and get her a new place to live, closer to her job in Acton. It was going well, she was saving money to move.

That plan changed when her car was making strange noises. We brought it to a local garage and she had to use all of her savings for repairs. Now she has nothing. She has a job that doesn't pay very well but she does have a great coworker support system and good health insurance.

And she has me. I am always happy to help a friend. People who know me are not surprised I told her to come stay with me: "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

She says she is embarrassed to ask. I'm not. I know there are other people who are willing to lend a hand, we just have to ask.