PastPoop

6/11/2003-Fool, Interrupted

When I relocated to the lovely town of Oshkosh Wisconsin I had hoped for a new begginning in a more splendid environ. Oshkosh is a college town, but it's less like a frat party community and more like Harvard.....with homeless people. I've always had a stigma against the homeless due to my time in Seattle. The U district there was a dreadful place to be mobbed by the 'domicile impaired.' My worst experience was in 10 years ago when a friend and I were leaving the Moore Theatre from a Bad Religion show and headed thru the U. It was 11 pm, and fucking dark. A bum came up and asked me for a smoke. I gave him one, then 9 other bums crawled out from their hiding spots and moved toward us. I never ran so fast in my life. It left a deep impression on me, and coupled with my prejudice of seeing homeless people as nothing more than drunken vagrants, I had a pretty narrow mindedness about them.

Funny how God likes to challenge one's beliefs.

About a week ago, I was smoking outside my apartment. It's a secured enterance and my wife doesn't let me smoke inside, so out I went. I lit up, and was startled by a middle aged black man from around the corner. "You got a light dude?," was his question. I gave him one. I introduced myself as Tony, which is my real name. He piped up like the Pope at a cub scout den meeting. "NO shit nigga?, that's my name too!" he exclaimed. We began chatting and he revealed that he was homeless. I hadn't seen it before because he was rather clean, although his clothes were old and worn. My 'fuck you' hackles went up but i calmed them down. He seemed pretty cool. Of course, my curious nature and that fact I lack complete decorum led me to ask the obvious; "What happened?, liquor, gambling, drugging or whoring?" Told you I had tact. He replied; "Drink man. Fucking booze dried me up and my bitch ass wife wouldn't ask for a raise to keep me dope." After a blunt answer like that my perceptions began to be altered.

We began talking about his past, and what he left behind. He was still legally married, but he had no idea where his woman was. He had lived in Oshkosh since his wife kicked him out and she bailed town. He'd been bumming for about 10 years, hanging outside the pubs and panhandling. He does work occasionally for a Labor Ready type outfit, but he then pisses away his bread on Jack and 151. I sat amazed listening to how candid he was. I thought he'd be offended, but instead he spilt it all out. He usually stayed at a local mission and kept pretty clean so he could scam some odd jobs.He ate from their soup kitchen type cafeteria, and was supplied liberally with blankets from a bedding company near the shelter. He takes the old ones from the dumpsters. He gets his clothes from drives, and even gets extra money from passerbys, and from a pub he haunts. I was surprised how well thought his accomodations were since after all, he is an alkie.

I was suddenly possessed to ask if he blamed whitey for his downfall. It was a crude question, but I was itching to know. He said; "Shit no...you crackas give me more than my own do. I don't see the NAACP helping this brother out. All the shit I have is mostly from you honkeys and your charities an shit. Ain't no gospel singing Al Sharpton giving me anything."

I really like this guy.

We swapped more stories then I told him I had to go. He was completely cool, and I told him I'm out here all the time and to if he's around we'd chat. He said he's like that. We've met up a few times outside and continued to talk about everything from philosophy to why pussy stinks when chicks wear spandex. He's quite intelligent, and has a lot of good opinions. I've grown to enjoy our chats outdoors. I have told him he's about to appear on our webpage, and he said he'd have to steal a computer so he could see. Fucking awesome. Although he was kidding, I liked how he could laugh at himself. A rare trait even among those who are well to do. I still cannot overcome the irony of my own prejeduce. I found a common soul in those who i despised. As I've said many times before, God loves just making you feel like a moron about what you believe in.

-Insidious_T