No tags yet.
'I am not even suppose to be down here right now. You have no idea how nervous I am every time I see a cop because I am afraid it will be that same cop. It was just that one cop in particular. Most other cops have driven past and have not cared. It is just that one cop that I am hoping will not drive by that I am worried about. He threatened to call animal control on me because my dog does not have his tags. I know its kind of risky but I got to make money for me and my puppy.
I have been on the road and on the streets for almost 4 years. He has been with me for almost 3 of them. December 23rd is when he turns 3 and it will be in the middle of January next year that we’ll celebrate our 3rd year anniversary together.
How I know how to play the guitar is because I played the ukulele and banjo before. I can play the ukulele… f***ing amazing. Someone taught me how to play it and then, I took it from there and just started teaching myself.
The biggest stigma with being on the streets is that we are all lazy and that we do not want to work. Here’s what I’d say… try carrying a 50-60lb backpack, everywhere you have to go, on top of trying to find work. It is not being lazy, it is just trying to survive. Sometimes, you are put in a position where you have to ask people for help, for food or need help for this something else. People look at you and just think you are a piece of ****. I can tell you I am not lazy and if someone gives me the opportunity for work and offer me pay, I’ll take that job so quick man. I’ll have to take my dog with me. I’ll say, “Yo, either my dog is coming with me or I’m unable to help you.” Most manual jobs I have gotten have not had a problem with me bringing Courage (name of the dog) coz they understand that I have a passion for my guitar and my dog. 90% of the time, people let me bring my dog with me.
I am not going to lie… there are people out in the streets with drug problems. I used to have a problem with heroin. It is hard man (to get out of drugs). I can tell you that almost 100% of people addicted to drugs, do not want to be addicted to drugs. They want to go out and find help. They want to check themselves into rehab or they want to get sober. Just because they had a problem at one point, it does not mean that they are going to be an addict for the rest of their lives. It means that they made a mistake and they ended up going into addiction. I have had friends who were addicted to meth, or were addicted to crack. They are not bad people. They managed to get themselves clean and they are doing better for themselves.
Ideally, I’d like to save up money to own my own land one day and rent out my place to homeless people for really cheap. I still have to make some money to sustain myself you know. If I have my own land, I know I can help other homeless people and I’ll have a home to go back to.'
Their Haven hopes that through this platform, we would be able to look through a different lens without judgement and that their stories will help bring forth the common thread of humanity in all of us; hopes, dreams, life's challenges and regrets.