Edges Issue 11: Homeless For 29 Years

EDGES MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 1997

Homeless for 29 years
Friends on the street

I started on the street 29 years ago. In between I've had breaks but the majority of the time I've spent on the streets not just in this country but in Europe also. I started in Birmingham and then I came down to Cardboard City, and from Cardboard City I moved to Festival Hall and then from the Festival Hall I travelled to Europe for 10 years. I was living on the streets most of the time when I was abroad but it was wonderful. I got treated really well, people looked after me very well. Maybe because I was English. I have seen a lot of change over the last 29 years. It's become very violent, no respect anymore. At one time everyone stood together and looked after each other with no stealing. But now they'd steal the boots off your feet and steal your blanket while you're asleep. It's a big change and not for the better, for the worse. I started when I was young. I didn't have a very good upbringing. My parents used to beat me so I started drinking when I was 14. I ran away from home at 15 and I haven't been back since. I don't know if my parents are alive or not. I haven't seen my family for over 20 years. These people, the street people, are my family now. They're the people I feel close to. Street people I've always felt close to because I've lived most of my life that way, abroad also, especially in Germany. I was there for 5 years, on the streets most of the time. I had many German friends on the street. On the street it's a very close unity because we're all in the same boat. There's just too many new young ones that are spoiling things for everyone else. They have attitude problems, they don't know how to mix with people and they're very aggressive. I'm totally non-aggressive. I've been beaten up quite a few times for no reason, just for being on the streets, some people just don't like it. Or you lose all your personal possessions, people steal them. I believe in God and I am a Christian even though I live the life I live. I've always been a Christian in my own way. God must be helping me otherwise I wouldn't have survived so long. There must be somebody helping me and the only person I can think of is God. I do go to church but not very often, I just pray in my own way. I think that as long as you have faith and believe then God listens anyway whether it's in church or out of church. Church is what you make it, isn't it ?. I don't always feel comfortable in church because I drink a lot so in some ways I don't think it's correct for me to go there, especially if I'm drunk. Hopefully, the new government will bring about some change for people on the street. More help, more places to live, hopefully. What I would like to do in the future is have my own flat, because I've been on the street so many years now. I'm getting older and I'm not very well, I'm quite ill - my liver, my kidneys, my stomach, everything, all through alcohol. But that's the only thing I can find to do to occupy my time. To drink. Most of the people I mix with drink also. I'm trying to stop, I've slowed down a lot lately because I've been so ill. I can't even count on my legs sometimes, people have to carry my bags for me these days. I love London from a personal point of view. I love the atmosphere, there's so many different nationalities, and living on the streets you meet many people from many different places. That's one part of street life that I really enjoy. I meet people from all over the world. The drug scene has got a lot worse, especially amongst the young people. They're spoiling it because the drugs scene is making them aggressive so they have to steal. Drugs are expensive, where do they get the money? Obviously they steal it, or they hurt somebody for it.