Homeless Survival:101

a reply to: SomeDumbBroad

Very true. Joki42's post really resonated with me. I can remember finding hiding spots for my stuff. I can remember hiding spots for myself. Learning how to feed yourself. I wish I'd have thought of the gym membership that you mentioned. That would have saved me showering at the beach showers.

I would carve little figurines from driftwood. I found that giving them to people yielded more money my way than trying to sell them.

A short story: My Darlin' and me lived in the S.F. area at the time when the Rodney King riots were happening in L.A. She had been friends with several street folk prior to that. When the riots in L.A. happened, they were mirrored in Oakland. She used to travel on the subway (BART) system from S.F. to Oakland. I was really worried. I was armed to the teeth. A guy I knew that was a friend of hers came up to me and said, "Don't worry....... she got onto the BART on time. We took care of her, Sir." They considered her to be theirs. I will never forget that. She went through all manner of violence perfectly protected by the street folk that she considered to be her friends.

a reply to: argentus

I am glad she was safe!!!!! And that's awesome about the driftwood. Everything comes full circle if you let it, you just have to put it out there and see.

a reply to: SomeDumbBroad

She had unarmed guards from her work on Sutter Street in S.F. to the Embarcadero Station in S.F. How the guy in Oakland West (where I was waiting) knew that she was taken care of I will never know. I know that she would sit and have coffee with folk and introduced me when I came across the bay. We had both done what we could for them. You can only imagine how grateful we both were.

"Spooky" if you should ever read this, I respect and treasure you, man. "Graham" same goes for you.

I asked the guys if they were okay and safe. They said, "you go on. Get on home. It' ain't safe for you tonight. Don't take the Webster tube." The Webster Tube is an under-estuary concrete roadway/tunnel that connects Oakland with Alameda. She drove. She is and was an excellent driver. I'll spare you the gory details, except to say we required hard drink once we got home. I'll never forget those guys.

Later on we helped Spooky get into the system and get a place. Never did see Graham again. Hope he found a safe place.

a reply to: argentus

I hope they made it as well. It's nice to see humanity ban together in crisis... if only it didn't take such hard settings to make some people understand that life is better when you work together

a reply to: SomeDumbBroad

No kidding. Humanity bands together in the face of a common enemy. I have said for a long time that what we need is a decent predator.

I've been in several natural disasters. People, for the most part, pull together and temporarily suspend their rancor for others. Really too bad we can't seem to hold that mindset all the time and work together.

When you were on the street, didn't you make various alliances that were mutually beneficial to both parties? I did. I would take out the slop from an Italian restaurant in exchange for old bread and leftover specials. I also took out garbage. My buds shared the spoils. There is a whole underlying community among street folk.

a reply to: argentus

I actually kept to myself and avoided people for the most part. The less attention the better. I worked a lot. I still do.

Really if you're homeless, you just need to go find a job. If you can't do that, then look into ways to make money. Like maybe do affiliate marketing, or collect bottles, or offer services like mowing lawns, shoveling walks, house cleaning, etc etc. Meanwhile try moving in with a friend or family member. If that doesn't work then Try find a homeless shelter to stay at. If that doesn't work find some nook or cranny or tent or whatever and sleep in it in a sleeping bag until you can get a job.

a reply to: SomeDumbBroad

Become like kato katelin