The first narrator introduces himself as Link. He clarifies that it isn’t his real name, but what he tells people when asked. He describes himself as “one of the invisible people” (7) and is currently sitting in a doorway, observing passersby who avoid looking at him. He reflects that people like him are living proof that not everything is okay. He notes that he’ll share the story of his fascinating life.

The second narrator reflects on the word “shelter.” He notes, “It’s what they’re all seeking. The street people” (8). He decides Shelter is a good name for himself.

Link recounts that he was born on March 20, 1977, in Bradford, Yorkshire. His home was happy until his father left with a receptionist in 1991 when Link was 14. However, that’s not why he’s now unhoused: His mother’s boyfriend, Vince, is to blame. Vince is about 50 but tries to act young and likes drinking. Link notes, “I wouldn’t call that fat pillock Dad if he was the last guy on earth” (9). Vince changed Link’s mother, and that’s one reason Link hates him. She used to be a quiet woman who was satisfied with her daily routine; she was always there when he needed her, and she loved Link and his sister, Carole, who is four years older than him.