Today i live in a nice two story apartment, its safe and secure, its not on the ground floor, its quite. (I love the quite) I have a full time job, good friends and i can say that i am honestly happy again. But my life was not always this way.
A few years ago i was living on the streets, i had no money, no was looking for me because they knew where i was, i was depressed and high and i had given up on life, and my then family and friends had all given up on me. (Its not their fault, i was being a totally selfish duche and Ahole). (i found out my Old Childhood best friend’s mother died and i found out and just got stoned and didnt go, like i said, a real duche)
When you live on the street people treat you with neglect. their too afraid to look at you for fear your going to attack them or god forbid catch Homelessness. So they carry on with there lives and ignore the suffering around them. I know people are starving in Africa, but people are starving in the 1st world aswell. I have seen people die. OD’s, starved, frozen from the cold. there isant an obituary for a homeless person, no one cares.
When i was on the street one particularly cold night i wandered down an alley and there was two guys siting next to a drum and they had started a fire. I said “Hay, do you guys mind if i join you”
Joe “Sure sonney, theres plenty heat here for the three of us” (Joe was about sixty at the time)
Stephen ” Do have anything to eat lad” (Stephen was a bit younger, probably 45 – 50)
Me “yeah i have some beans”(I used to steal them from the Tesco deliverys, the guy would drag in the pallets one at a time leaving them free for about 4 mins, i only ever took two double packs so no one would notice, i was homeless, but i was never stupid)
Joe “Whats a young man like you doing on the streets, you aut to be in school or something”
Me “Im knid of here by choice, its a long story, What about you guys, shouldn’t you be living it up on your pensions?”
Stephen “HA, funny lad arent yeah, When you’ve never paid taxs the state doenst give a shit about you, so no, no pension ”
Joe “All were rich in is freedom, we dont owe the man nothing boy, were free thats our wealth”
Me “Do offliences take the freedom currency? I will have to get me some of that”
Joe “HAHA, i see the streets ant broke your spirits boy, im Joe and thats Steve”
Me “Nice to meet you guys, im Shane, Do you guys know where i could score some H?”
Stephen “We know just about everything in this city lad, Been here that long”
Joe “Hows about you just enjoy the fire tonight lad, them drugs wont get you home”
Me “I dont want to get home, i want to get high”
Stephen “Getting high wont make your live any better lad, your still gona be living in the streets when you wake up”
Me “Yeah but it wont hurt for a while”
Joe “you should go home lad, no sense wasting your life with us old men”
Me “My home is no longer an option i think”
Joe “Its never to late to go home boy, they will take you back”
Me “Never mind that, i have a idea on how to get some real food if you guys are interested, i just need you two to do some distracting”
Stephen “Hows that now, whats this great idea”
Joe “Hows about we talk tomorrow and just enjoy the fire and beans for now”
Me “So you guys are in”
Joe “I know it dont look like much, but this our home boy, and i dont want to talk about risky business in my home.”
Me “tomorrow then”
Joe “Tomorrow”
Then we just sat by the fire in silence and let the sounds of cars and sirens fill the air. I lived with Joe and steve for about 2 more weeks we always went back to there “home” every night, for the first time in long time i felt like i had a home again.
But one of my great plans didnt quite go as planed and i got arrested, i spent a night in jail, and i got a clear view of where my life was heading, and despite all the shit i had been through, i didnt want this. Prison is not a nice place.
When i was released Somewhere between Joes constant badgering about me going home and the fact i was semi clean for a few days are the main reasons i let the streets. My family did welcome me back.
Last year i went back to my second home, but i looked like no one had been there in a while, I left some food and some blankets and money.
I wish i could have seen them again. I will never forget the time we shared or the fact that joe was right.
I have made alot of mistakes in my life, but not going back sooner to see them is one that weighs heavily on me.
I will never forget them, For a time they were my family.
Things can get pretty bleak in life, i have seen bleak first hand, But we are the architects of our own happiness. So if your life burns down around you like mine did, Please remember you can always rebuild your life, brick by brick. I did.
Peace
🙂
2 comments
Positive stories are seldom found on this website, so thanks for posting this.
Home… you were very lucky to have two