Gotta Find A Home: Conversations With Street People

Writing about the homeless and helping the homeless, has given my life a purpose that it didn't have before. Documenting their stories will, I hope, introduce them to the public in a non-threatening way. Some panhandlers look intimidating, but that disappears when one sees them laugh. A typical day for me involves taking the bus and walking two blocks to work. I pass Joy's spot every day. I usually sit and talk with her for twenty to thirty minutes. Chester and Hippo may drop by to chat. Most afternoons, depending on weather, I walk two blocks to the park where the group of panhandlers varies in size from two to twenty or more. They don't panhandle at the park. Like a soap opera, every day is different; some scenarios will carry over a few days or weeks. People will disappear for weeks or months due illness, rehab programs or incarceration. When I met Joy I was going through an emotional crisis. Meeting her and her friends - worrying about them and whether or not they would be able to eat and find a place to sleep - took my mind off my problems, that then, seemed insignificant. It was - is - truly a life changing experience.

• | Author: Dennis Cardiff
• | Publisher: Dennis Cardiff
• | Publication Date: Dec 10, 2014
• | Number of Pages: 346 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 0993979904
• | ISBN-13: 9780993979903