For many,its' not a choice

Started out by the senators offices again. I can always find someone new here. Almost like setting up a barrel with hundreds of fish in it.
By this time on a beautiful fall morning it was warming up nicely, but this man was still bundled up shaking from the cold night. I sat next to him and tried to get him to speak. Asked all the usual questions, and got" no comprender",
Then I said, wish I had ten bucks to throw your way, should have seen how fast he spoke English. I continued on.

When out in the streets one must keep in mind at all times, how he  is being viewed by those who live here. All sorts of head games are played by very crafty individuals out here. I dress to fit in, bring as little notice to myself as possible, the camera I use is decent but inexpensive. Even a throw away camera would make me a target to the not so honorable. When my instincts kick in, and I feel I may be getting sized up, I make sure they notice the heavy hard walking stick I have made, and how well I handle it. I also try to show some empathy. Some of the alcoholics and junkies have done it to themselves, true, no arguing.

 




 But once their particular drug of choice takes hold, the rest of us only see an alternate versions of the "Walking Dead". Many if they survive, become disconnected.....from everything.............
Family if any left willing to deal with them, society in general, what you may call reality. For some they remain on the streets by choice, others....???? Who are real, who are scamming.
Not for me to judge, only to document, and share. I do know ,from the numbers out here,
many of them vets, that society has a problem, not being addressed by those who represent us.

The two shots of the man with the patch were taken as he approached me from the next block. When he seen he was my subject he came straight to me, saying" I'm eyeing you too." I told him why and he became quite affable. Mitch, gave direct answers to my questions. Yes, booze is why he ended up here for six or so years. Has fought it most of his life . Has worked, has no military. As we talked this couple were going by when they did a double take. Mitch introduced  Peanut and Melanie, who are proud occupants of a real apartment in Chicopee these days. They use to run in Mitch's' circle when they were on the streets. They gave their condolences to my host, on a loss of a companion that was part of their group, then they gave me their story. He was out here because of bad situations, no military or real skills a slight handicap, for a few years. She was a rebellious young girl in Buffalo, tossed out by parents, wandered out here, met Peanut, wandered for almost three years.  They are real proud of how far they've come. Mel is working and with a little help, was able to secure a apartment they can sustain.

Best of wish's were exchanged, we parted ways.
Pointing my lens across the street, barley make out a figure sitting on the curb.

Daniel, 6 years out here. Served in the Marines in the South Pacific. Worked the American Dream at Waste Management,
married one day, the next, wife dies of cancer, gets laid off, bills are huge, benefits ran out, on top of that brother and sister passed within a few months of each other. He was the oldest, that wasn't how it supposed to be. No drink or drugs, plenty of grief, in my opinion, unrequited, with no help from Uncle Sam. Was lucky enough to get into Taylor St shelter for winter. Won't go near Worthington St shelter. Doesn't like the clientele there.   

He points to these doors, "they give me work when they can, that's' the most anyone has helped". Indicating a women who came up behind me he said talk to her, so I did. Tina, out here because of drink, has no plans on stopping, likes it out here, has worked 56 jobs in her life. Just repeating what I'm told. Has a son in Westfield State 

Going to be late for a doctors appointment, so I gotta run , come back in a few days.

Beginning at MickyD's in the south end, Walter becomes the first victim of my inquiries today. 56, Navy ,Aviation Support. Did drink and drugs 25+ years ago. 9/23/79 he was a hit and run casualty  on Suffield St. Stuck with all those bills for life. He has worked as a millwright for many years , Allston Local #1121. Been out of work since April 2013, nothing coming in, 7 months behind on mortgage , nothing running at his place in Agawam, he leaves at 5am to walk across the river for 7:30, Bliss street breakfast. Spends the rest of the day walking a beat of open pantries. He knows he will return to his home someday soon and find it padlocked but for now he is thankful to his deity that he has a." heartbeat and can walk ". Walt pulls out his wallet, shows me his union card and a insurance card, puts them back in his wallet. All useless he exclaims. Pulls his cap off to show the scars on his scalp from the hit and run. All benefits exhausted, can't pay dues or premiums,let alone co-pays.

Points to the carriage saying it won't be long.
What can I say to this man.
Wish him well ,thank him, walk off in thought.

   



Two Hours till lunch, line starts early .

Approaching the bus terminal I spy Roger, who I met a few weeks back at the senators office.

When asked what happened he said he was hiding his cans and got jumped. He didn't want to dwell on it and moved on.

walked home along bikeway

this is not thrash

a riverfront apartment

well concealed

Quick check under North End Bridge
            still there

climbed down and up on my butt
no elevator

 Noticed the roof  may be giving these tenants trouble.
 Noticed also I am not as limber as I once was.
After this last trek, my only thought is to get these pegs raised. Hobble across the bridge to my bus stop and home.
So far I am still lucky.

How to slip through the cracks

My wife and I took a trip to Northampton for an appointment she had.

As we got off at exit 18,we came upon this man.

`
 Her business was
                                         

                                          4 tenths of a mile                                          

                                                      away 

                so I decided to hoof it back and see if I could get his story.

Meet Jay

 

                                                              Jay wasn't shy about talking to me.
First thing I said to him was that he didn't look homeless, in fact you look as if your in better shape than me. His hair and body showed no signs of being on the street, his clothes were clean and in good repair. I had seen him smoking a cigarette when I drove by, so I said you seem to be able to afford a very expensive habit , along with good clothing and how clean his body was , he seen where I was heading with that , and started opening up. Jay admitted he wasn't completely on the streets yet , but fears being there shortly. He says he has two part time jobs ,which he walks to , and between the two of them he has trouble clearing $100.00 a week. He used to work construction at a high rate of pay. When he and his baby momma broke up ,child support was determined on that amount. When the good job ended he couldn't keep up. He claims he filed for amendments but the mother doesn't show up for the hearings , and the courts will not pursue it without her, in the meantime he just keeps getting further behind. Between that and stupid stuff he did in his younger days that gave him a record , makes staying afloat harder and harder each day. Jay says he floats from friend to friend for a place to stay, but he's not sure how long he can keep that up. Jay was born in the U.S., he did not serve in the military, gets no help from our government, and doesn't have a drug or drink problem.
I'm not here to judge or determine who is for real or not , but Jay looked me straight in the eye, if that means anything, as he told me his story. I told him I would probably be using his pictures and story publicly, he said all was good and I thanked him and moved on. There were other personal details he shared with me , putting them out here will not help him or his situation, they only made me believe him a little more.
 Could this be a scenario that is plausible? Is this the beginning of the spiral into the streets?
The problem is not a new one.

This was Paul 25 years ago along the banks of the Conn. River.

His dog Oscar

He asked me to not use his face

An out of work carpenter built his quarters along the banks of the river

                                            built a pier for fishing, a large part of his diet.

 

                                              even had his own bank deposit box and secure living space
 
                                                 
           

                          

     

 

I don't know what became of Paul, but I do know his problem started a lot like Jay's.

Once he lost what he once had , only his own skills would keep him and Oscar alive.

 

THIS PROBLEM IS NOT GOING AWAY.

Each passing day it continues to get worse , while the ones who represent us worry about overseas and illegal aliens.

Much more to come on this ongoing problem. 

Wave machine for sleep

 

 

                 This is 18 seconds, imagine, sleeping with it all night ? How hard you got it?

All of them are alcoholics or drug addicts.......

..........Said the security guard at Tower Square in downtown Springfield, in response to my questions about the homeless problem. Asked what problems they encounter and panhandling was the biggest, When I commented that most homeless I  have spoken to tend to avoid the public areas for multiple reasons such as ,law enforcement, not wanting to bring attention to themselves, and even pride and shame all rolled into one.

 I mentioned that a lot of the panhandlers I have come across are dressed better than me and many have vehicles somewhere nearby and many are scammers and this individual with a secure job and home insisted they all did it to themselves.I left this closed mind, in search of my true quarry. Although it was pouring cats and dogs, I continued , I still have a home to go to

At the bus station I encounter my first of the day. The man in blue asked me for change,(pic 1)
At which point my instincts kicked in. I told him I was sorry for his bad luck,but he had better shoes than I did and I carried nothing with me but my camera and cane. My instincts were vindicated about an hour and half later. These are the same two cooking heroin, for the needle the one in green is holding.

.
Before I was vindicated I came upon this man who didn't want to talk to me. Next to
this place is the North End Bridge,off I go. Once again instincts paid off.

I found waterfront real estate. This wasn't here last week,but then again most of the sites I documented last week are gone. The river is low , the last shot was taken from the next bridge abutment which is usually under water  Water level is up to the green area normally.

This place has all the amenities including a wok.  MORE TO COME!

Have You Ever Read "Squares of the City" ?

  A fictional novel by John Brunner with a strange connection to chess and the homeless problems in South America. I read the novel years and years ago. If one is interested in the bibliography, look it up, the point being, it was as relevant then, as it is today.    
 If you have ever driven on Columbus Ave in Springfield, Ma., your driving parallel and under Interstate 91.The southbound side of the avenue takes one by the Basketball Hall of Fame to the Broad St intersection where you may view this oversized sneaker. Real easy to see. To head north on Columbus, one must pass under I-91. When you do this ,that is when my blog, "The Invisible Population" and  Mr. Brunner's' novel become relevant.
That hidden population ,in plain sight, working hard at remaining unnoticed, hoping only the pretty sneakers are visible. Why,hope you remain unnoticed ? Would you want someone to see your bedroom, if it looks like this?

Sometimes these areas serve as
storage of the few things a person may have, while they wander in search of.....anything....a warmer blanket, food, cans,handouts, day work, a safer place.












These are women's clothes above, well hidden from the view of the thousands of vehicles that wiz through here daily. Looking across Broad St, I find the men's quarters from the looks of things.
I suspect either another street person went through this occupants things, or he is new to this environment, to leave his belongings in plain view like this. Upon seeing this I must venture down the northern embankment and up the southern. Veterans of the street would never display personal wealth such as this, fear of theft
by the less scrupulous, or even worse, the authorities moving them along.


                                                             


I have been photo documenting
30 years the plight of the street
people, I am not an "expert", but
I like to think I have common
sense.

 Photos' may speak a thousand
words, however being able to
touch and see first hand, this cache of clothing and medication,
and the freshness of the blankets
and bedding................................

only one conclusion can be reached...by "moi" anyway......
This person is new to this
lifestyle. I can only wish him well and providence.

This was only the Broad St underpass, Columbus Ave runs just shy of 5 miles in length, I believe. How many underpasses along this stretch ? Many, I can tell you, all storage and sleeping quarters for a lost soul beyond the cracks of our pathetic system. I don't have the solution, but I hope shining a light on the plight brings some answers. My quest today is to see this years living arrangements as winter approaches by the destitute colonies who become so adept at basic survival in the bowels of a city.

 Walk across the street to the Basketball Hall of Fame complex, find another giant sneaker, take a shot of the shrines' steeple then stroll through the complex to the other end, where there is an elevated

walkway/observation deck. Looking north, I can see the North End Bridge and a river walkway for the city dwellers who frequent the natural beauty and tranquility of the Conn. river. From the moment I stepped into the complex, the opulence, the excesses, all the things designed to please all the aesthetic senses of the general secure population, seemed rather ironic considering what I am seeking today. 

Beyond the tube in the picture above is access to the Connecticut River Walkway, off I go . My plan is to head to the North End Bridge and see if I can locate any encampments. Over the last 30 years, I have never had a problem finding them along the river, and today will prove no exception, unfortunately.

Not long after my trek started on this perfect fall day, I came upon my first encounter of the day. Among the joggers and lovers out for a stroll I met Gladys and Jose.

Gladys was yelling at Jose because he had a foul smell about him.
She was indicating with her finger that Jose was crazy and he smelled but it was all in jest. I asked if they minded talking with me and being photographed. They more than obliged.

All the questions as we walked were met openly. She been on the streets since spring, he was in a shelter until recently, thinks he made a bad move giving up his spot, but Gladys was out here he says.



When asked about shelter, I was invited to walk and see. As we approached their residence Gladys started getting frantic. Three individuals emerged from behind an abutment, 2 men and a women with a black eye. Gladys had told me seven other people stayed where she stayed, I could tell by the way they bolted when she started yelling at them, it was not these folks.

These three are from another campsite, the one in red and shorts is a big thief she declares loud enough for them to hear. As the other two pass me, they had the look of deer in the headlights.



A few moments later this man comes from the same place and it is clear he to doesn't belong there.
However he does stop to talk to Gladys.

       How humbling it is to be invited into a persons home who has nothing and be apologized to for the way it looks   

 

                                                                               

 Gladys and Jose's living room with built in storage.

She is glad all that was scavenged from her was their cardboard they sleep on. Her 2 bibles, shopping cart, and other personals seem to be intact. Just going to a food pantry can cost you all your worldly goods. Gladys is open and talkative while Jose is reserved and quiet. She does most of the talking. She gets some aide in the form of disability, him nothing. Each have minimal employable skills. She has a sugar problem which flares up often. 

 She holds out her hands to show the discolorations and swelling it causes.

 They are well aware of the upcoming winter but must concentrate on getting by today. Gladys  believes the answer lies in her beloved bibles, which she read daily until last week, when she got her glasses stolen. I asked her to try my readers, they worked, I thanked her for sharing her life with me, and left her with the readers. Still a way to go I left my host.

 

Future down the walkway I notice a bridge up ahead, it has a well traveled path next to it, instinct took me down the path and I was not disappointed.

 

 

At least 12 people were in this site, none wished to be  photographed ,they allowed me these shots. They fear authorities moving them on, so I honor their wishes.

Off to the shore of the river where I have found encampments in the past. Once again , not disappointed .


 

No one was here.
I suspect this belongs to the three
who where savaging Gladys' site.
Took a few shots and moved on.




                                           At about this point I was wearing down quickly

                                                 So I headed straight to my destination,
                                                              the North End Bridge
                                          

                                           Taking a couple of shots from past sites on the way.
                  The second site was built 20 or so years ago by an out of work carpenter and his dog.

This is my third post about "The Invisible Population".

 I am not really sure how the general public views the problem or if they really care. To those people please remember, you could be one bad break away from this situation. I was there in California, for 4 months in 1977.

I do know how little priority it is to our elected officials. They are more interested in wars overseas, hugh profits for their giant corporate sponsors, taking care of people who entered this country illegally. and voting themselves $70,000.00 raises.

How do I know this you may ask.......
Are you blind will be my answer.......

Next time you drive in the city, look in the undesirable spots, you may see for yourself what this is about. Stay tuned for more, as the cracks in our system get wider. The official unstated stand on homeless people is to move them along. Its' a problem for someone else. I challenge anyone to walk among these avoided people...........................................