The first rule of being homeless: don't look like you're homeless. Generally, try to avoid letting anyone know that you're homeless. (This includes not staying in the same place every night.) The only reason would be if you were foolish enough to think that it's going to unlock some otherwise hidden hospitality in others or access to social services. It won't, or, if so, whatever it does won't be offset by how much it costs you in the long run.
The second rule of being homeless: don't spend $9 a day on beer and an additional $335 a month—a third of your income—on inessentials like coffee, ice, and jugs of spring water. (You shouldn't be trading water for cash unless you live somewhere like Flint, Michigan. If you've already broken rule #1 and people are gawking at you, there's no reason not to let them gawk at you as you fill your reusable water bottle from free/public potable water sources.)
I sympathize with the author, but I'm homeless, and I'm kind of horrified how many stereotypes he's ticking off, including being a guitar-toting writer/artist with a dog in tow. There's a reason why Rosa Parks became the icon of the civil rights movement and Claudette Colvins didn't. (Is that fair? No.)
The man's experiences with constantly being moved on reminded me, as a foreign tourist, of how distinct America is in this regard. I flew into California and did a few weeks of bikepacking there before crossing into Mexico. In spite of wearing clean, new expensive expedition-clothing brands, and having a high-end bike with new, clean premium bags, I was several times apparently taken for homeless: I'm packing away my purchases outside a supermarket, and a police cruiser rolls by and tells me I need to move on; I pop into a petrol station for a snack, and a police officer standing around tells me I need to move on.
And everywhere "No loitering" signs. I wouldn't even know how to say "no loitering" in the European languages that I speak.
So true. I once bought nicely worn-out US Army jacket when visiting California, quite fashionable in Europe in 1980's. Could not believe what kind of shit I got. Some shops told me right at the door "please leave now sir".
First of all, I'm going to bet this man is an addict.
Gabapentin is not a normal medication for anti seizure. It's routinely prescribed for animals and has the drug de jour, because it's not in the same class as others.
Second, this man is bipolar, which is both evident from the cocktail that he is prescribed (Gab + Lam) and the mention of manic-depression and then later the admission (assuming these are all vignettes from the same man). He should not be on Adderall at all.
Whoever/whatever is treating this man by prescribing him drugs, isn't helping. They are trying to give him things that will keep him from complaining to others.
Someone asks if you're alright living out of your car and your response is "I'm ok", when you're not but too drugged up to care. Even if he wasn't he has stopped asking (or never really has asked) to look for opportunities to get himself out, beyond looking for a free shower.
I hate these pieces showing the entrenchment of people into homelessness by the systems that are supposed to lift them out, while highlighting the indignant resignation to stay in the situation as a survival response. "I have every right to be here." - and that's a big part of the problem.
America, you don't know who your homeless people are.
I'm a Forest Service camp host. Homeless people are common guests there. They greatly differ from the popular image of the homeless as destitute, dirty, criminal, and living is appalling hovels. Most of them are clean and well-behaved. They just don't have a place to live. Some are on Social Security, some on pensions, and some work.
The image of the homeless American presented in this article is so striking that most of us miss how common homelessness is among people like you and me.
> "We see right through the unshowered soul living in a car by the beach, or by the Walmart, or by the side of the road. But he’s there, and he used to be somebody"
Do we? No, we don't, not at first, not until we see it enough times to become desensitized to it, and we eventually realize the state/city/population ultimately doesn't care about these people, so we adapt those beliefs too, whether we want to or not.
I watched that happen to many colleagues, friends, family members, and even, regrettably over time, myself.
If you mention the homeless crisis to many people, many of the typical urbanites and suburbanites that populate every major city that is overflowing with homeless and open drug camps, the same people who vote for it to continue and for it to get worse and worse, the ones who vote to fund programs that clearly are making the problem grow and worsen rather than improve, they get very defensive, almost angry that you're bringing it up. Why on earth are you bringing up this topic? Quiet! And if you do talk about it, you better share the acceptable opinions on the subject, anything else is verboten. It's a strange social pressure, completely devoid of humanity.
There was an incredible limited-run podcast series hosted by the 99% Invisible podcast: According to Need.[0] It tracked the experiences of unhoused people in the Bay Area. Essentially, there's no way to get help if you're in the position of most unhoused people. Some aspect of your situation will disqualify you. Had a couch to sleep on any time in the last 30 days? You don't qualify for a cot in a shelter, even if it was only for one night.
There was also a woman who qualified for a paid apartment, but was afraid to take it because she had a physical limitation that made it difficult to go to the pharmacy and someone at her encampment did that for her. She would be far away from anyone she knew and she feared not getting her meds. Imagine having the dream (four walls and a roof) and still being afraid that it would do you more harm than sleeping outside. As someone diagnosed bi-polar, I understand her fear completely.
Having been broke enough to forage for berries and plums in my neighborhood under cover of darkness, walking miles to go dumpster diving at bakeries and discount grocery stores (I came up empty-handed at every location), spending a dollar a day to get a russet potato because at least that was filling, unable to buy cheap dishes after all the old ones broke because I had to buy paper plates over and over (receiving cheap dishware for xmas was one of the best gifts of my life), walking two miles to a bank branch to cash a check because I needed the money now, not when it'd post, holy crap does it take a lot to live on the edge. And I never ended up on the street.
My life has radically changed in the years since and I was joking with a friend thirty minutes ago about being a snob about my computing and spending money on stuff that's nice to have but unnecessary (10GB ethernet, for example). I'm extremely lucky. I can't imagine how to come back had I not had multiple extreme moments of good luck plus family that was willing to help me out more than a few times. I see the same people carrying a blanket or pacing the same small radius of blocks in downtown Oakland (where I work and live, so I walk to work) every week. In the richest nation in human history. The dichotomy breaks my heart.
We have an utterly broken system and it's only getting worse. And the fact that it hasn't happened to you is as much luck as anything. Millions of people are a life-threatening illness away from having their savings wiped out (I'm in the USA, remember?) or any other number of sudden and unescapable tragedies. Meanwhile, the ultra-wealthy horde their wealth and accumulate more. You know how much it would disrupt their lives to donate half of what they've got to people in need? Not in any way that they could possibly perceive on a daily basis. For these reasons and more, I will never not buy food for someone who asks. I might only give cash when I don't get a bad feeling about someone (even now, I'm still prejudiced against people for things they can't control, such as the appearance of severe mental health issues), but then again, how often do I have cash on me? But ask me to buy you a meal or groceries and I'll get you as much as you can carry.
The first rule of being homeless: don't look like you're homeless. Generally, try to avoid letting anyone know that you're homeless. (This includes not staying in the same place every night.) The only reason would be if you were foolish enough to think that it's going to unlock some otherwise hidden hospitality in others or access to social services. It won't, or, if so, whatever it does won't be offset by how much it costs you in the long run.
The second rule of being homeless: don't spend $9 a day on beer and an additional $335 a month—a third of your income—on inessentials like coffee, ice, and jugs of spring water. (You shouldn't be trading water for cash unless you live somewhere like Flint, Michigan. If you've already broken rule #1 and people are gawking at you, there's no reason not to let them gawk at you as you fill your reusable water bottle from free/public potable water sources.)
I sympathize with the author, but I'm homeless, and I'm kind of horrified how many stereotypes he's ticking off, including being a guitar-toting writer/artist with a dog in tow. There's a reason why Rosa Parks became the icon of the civil rights movement and Claudette Colvins didn't. (Is that fair? No.)
The man's experiences with constantly being moved on reminded me, as a foreign tourist, of how distinct America is in this regard. I flew into California and did a few weeks of bikepacking there before crossing into Mexico. In spite of wearing clean, new expensive expedition-clothing brands, and having a high-end bike with new, clean premium bags, I was several times apparently taken for homeless: I'm packing away my purchases outside a supermarket, and a police cruiser rolls by and tells me I need to move on; I pop into a petrol station for a snack, and a police officer standing around tells me I need to move on.
And everywhere "No loitering" signs. I wouldn't even know how to say "no loitering" in the European languages that I speak.
In the USA it is illegal to exist outside in one spot for too long. Sad but true.
So true. I once bought nicely worn-out US Army jacket when visiting California, quite fashionable in Europe in 1980's. Could not believe what kind of shit I got. Some shops told me right at the door "please leave now sir".
Sure buddy. Two police officers told you to "move on". You watch too many movies.
Another +1 on this being common.
When I first started working in California, I walked to work pretty often (it was only a ~45 minute walk, pretty nice with half down a creek).
Twice I had police stop to ask if I was "ok", and both seemed satisfied when I said I was just walking to work.
> Two police officers told you to "move on".
Why is that so implausible?
I can vouch for this being not uncommon -- it's happened to me too
> Sure buddy. Two police officers told you to "move on". You watch too many movies.
Even having read the article, I'm shocked by the cynicism in this comment.
Pedestrians shall feel the full force of the law. Have a nice day.
First of all, I'm going to bet this man is an addict. Gabapentin is not a normal medication for anti seizure. It's routinely prescribed for animals and has the drug de jour, because it's not in the same class as others.
https://www.statnews.com/2017/07/06/gabapentin-becomes-targe...
Second, this man is bipolar, which is both evident from the cocktail that he is prescribed (Gab + Lam) and the mention of manic-depression and then later the admission (assuming these are all vignettes from the same man). He should not be on Adderall at all.
Whoever/whatever is treating this man by prescribing him drugs, isn't helping. They are trying to give him things that will keep him from complaining to others.
Someone asks if you're alright living out of your car and your response is "I'm ok", when you're not but too drugged up to care. Even if he wasn't he has stopped asking (or never really has asked) to look for opportunities to get himself out, beyond looking for a free shower.
I hate these pieces showing the entrenchment of people into homelessness by the systems that are supposed to lift them out, while highlighting the indignant resignation to stay in the situation as a survival response. "I have every right to be here." - and that's a big part of the problem.
> First of all, I'm going to bet this man is an addict. Gabapentin is not a normal medication for anti seizure.
What? Gabapentin is absolutely used for anti-seizure purposes:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/gabapentin-oral...
https://www.epilepsy.com/tools-resources/seizure-medication-...
There seems to be a gofundme set up for the author’s benefit. I can’t vouch for the authenticity of it, but I donated to it anyway https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-empower-patrick-fealeys...
America, you don't know who your homeless people are.
I'm a Forest Service camp host. Homeless people are common guests there. They greatly differ from the popular image of the homeless as destitute, dirty, criminal, and living is appalling hovels. Most of them are clean and well-behaved. They just don't have a place to live. Some are on Social Security, some on pensions, and some work.
The image of the homeless American presented in this article is so striking that most of us miss how common homelessness is among people like you and me.
> "We see right through the unshowered soul living in a car by the beach, or by the Walmart, or by the side of the road. But he’s there, and he used to be somebody"
Do we? No, we don't, not at first, not until we see it enough times to become desensitized to it, and we eventually realize the state/city/population ultimately doesn't care about these people, so we adapt those beliefs too, whether we want to or not.
I watched that happen to many colleagues, friends, family members, and even, regrettably over time, myself.
If you mention the homeless crisis to many people, many of the typical urbanites and suburbanites that populate every major city that is overflowing with homeless and open drug camps, the same people who vote for it to continue and for it to get worse and worse, the ones who vote to fund programs that clearly are making the problem grow and worsen rather than improve, they get very defensive, almost angry that you're bringing it up. Why on earth are you bringing up this topic? Quiet! And if you do talk about it, you better share the acceptable opinions on the subject, anything else is verboten. It's a strange social pressure, completely devoid of humanity.
There was an incredible limited-run podcast series hosted by the 99% Invisible podcast: According to Need.[0] It tracked the experiences of unhoused people in the Bay Area. Essentially, there's no way to get help if you're in the position of most unhoused people. Some aspect of your situation will disqualify you. Had a couch to sleep on any time in the last 30 days? You don't qualify for a cot in a shelter, even if it was only for one night.
There was also a woman who qualified for a paid apartment, but was afraid to take it because she had a physical limitation that made it difficult to go to the pharmacy and someone at her encampment did that for her. She would be far away from anyone she knew and she feared not getting her meds. Imagine having the dream (four walls and a roof) and still being afraid that it would do you more harm than sleeping outside. As someone diagnosed bi-polar, I understand her fear completely.
Having been broke enough to forage for berries and plums in my neighborhood under cover of darkness, walking miles to go dumpster diving at bakeries and discount grocery stores (I came up empty-handed at every location), spending a dollar a day to get a russet potato because at least that was filling, unable to buy cheap dishes after all the old ones broke because I had to buy paper plates over and over (receiving cheap dishware for xmas was one of the best gifts of my life), walking two miles to a bank branch to cash a check because I needed the money now, not when it'd post, holy crap does it take a lot to live on the edge. And I never ended up on the street.
My life has radically changed in the years since and I was joking with a friend thirty minutes ago about being a snob about my computing and spending money on stuff that's nice to have but unnecessary (10GB ethernet, for example). I'm extremely lucky. I can't imagine how to come back had I not had multiple extreme moments of good luck plus family that was willing to help me out more than a few times. I see the same people carrying a blanket or pacing the same small radius of blocks in downtown Oakland (where I work and live, so I walk to work) every week. In the richest nation in human history. The dichotomy breaks my heart.
We have an utterly broken system and it's only getting worse. And the fact that it hasn't happened to you is as much luck as anything. Millions of people are a life-threatening illness away from having their savings wiped out (I'm in the USA, remember?) or any other number of sudden and unescapable tragedies. Meanwhile, the ultra-wealthy horde their wealth and accumulate more. You know how much it would disrupt their lives to donate half of what they've got to people in need? Not in any way that they could possibly perceive on a daily basis. For these reasons and more, I will never not buy food for someone who asks. I might only give cash when I don't get a bad feeling about someone (even now, I'm still prejudiced against people for things they can't control, such as the appearance of severe mental health issues), but then again, how often do I have cash on me? But ask me to buy you a meal or groceries and I'll get you as much as you can carry.
/rant
0: https://99percentinvisible.org/need/