After my last post back in August of 2009 I had a few more run-ins with the police. Things just started escalating. I was in my usual spot and a guy walked by and gave me a couple of bucks. I like to call him my repeat customer. I don't remember his name but this guy would almost always throw me a few bucks even though he was struggling himself. Even when he was getting laid-off he would walk by and hand me a couple of dollars. I always felt bad he was giving me money. But him and I always managed to strike up good conversation.
This one particular afternoon he stopped and we we started talking. I even put my sign down. After about five minutes the cops rolled up on me. Not just one cop. Not two. Five cops! They grabbed me like I was under arrest and started searching me. I was scared. I really thought I was in some kind of real trouble. They even made me take off my shoes right next to the road.
It turned out this was all a big scare tactic to get me to stop panhandling in their city. They wrote me a citation but this one was actually a misdemeanor. They called it soliciting within 500 feet of an offramp. They took all of my money "as evidence" and discarded my sign. Needless to say, I never saw my money again.
This incident actually scared me. It made me stop. Luckily I had most of my money in my storage unit so I decided to buy a ticket out of town. I figured I had enough money to get to Nebraska and get a room for rent. The unemployment rate was very low in Nebraska. I thought this would be a great time to get out of Dodge.
A few things happened in the next few weeks. I bumped into an old friend and he had no idea I was homeless. He ended up offering me a place to crash so I took him up on his offer. It wasn't the best accommodations but it was better than sleeping on the streets.
I stayed with him for about a month but with me, him, and his brother sharing a tiny apartment I needed to find another place. I finally got the courage to start panhandling again. I never went back to the same spot but I did manage to risk everything and go back to the same city. The holidays were approaching and I knew this was the best time to make some money. I also knew the cops would be pretty busy.
I ended up panhandling off and on for about two more months. January 2010 came and I was starting to get a bit antsy. Then January 12 happened. I was riding a bus in Laguna Beach to go get my morning coffee like I always did when the bus came to a stop on PCH. I had my headphones on so at first I didn't hear anything but all of a sudden everyone on the bus started hitting the floor! I pulled my headphones off and I could hear gunfire and the bus driver screaming for everyone to get down!
Once the gunfire stopped I stepped off the bus. Don't ask me what I was thinking, I have no idea. I looked across the street and I could see three officers with their guns aimed inside of a wrecked car. Then they started firing again. I heard at least 10 to 15 rounds. You can read about the shooting here.
The man the officers shot was Colby Joshua Koenig. He died later that evening. He was only 25 years old.
What bothered me most this shooting was that Colby's car was blocked in. He had nowhere to go. He was unarmed. The entire incident didn't make any sense. I just knew it was time for me to go. I had had enough of the police and now I was even more scared.
I talked to a friend here in Boston and it turned out I might have a place to stay. At that point I called up a friend from a church I attended and asked if there was anyway he could help me get a ticket to Boston. I really wasn't 100% sure I had a place to stay, and it was the middle of winter, but I knew I had to make a change. Sometimes you have to take that risk. As a guy on the streets once told me, "If you want something you've never had before, you need to something you've never done before."
My friend bought me a train ticket and I left California February 5, 2010. It wasn't all smooth when I arrived here. My friend's family had no idea I was staying at their house but everything ended up working out. I was able to find work right away, even if it was just temp warehouse work.
I'm now married. I live in an older apartment across the street from the beach. I'm on the lease. I'm very grateful for how far I've come. It sure beats sleeping in an office hallway or a bus shelter.
I had to quit work and apply for SSI last winter. I got denied twice but finally had a hearing and won! I had to hire a lawyer but it was worth it. I still haven't seen a dime from Social Security yet. I've heard it takes a few months to get the backpay and the first check. I guess now I just have to be patient.
I haven't panhandled since I left California. My wife and I have been struggling a lot. I'm tempted to panhandle but I just don't feel right doing it since I have a roof over my head. Also, people here in Boston aren't as nice as people in Cali. I'd probably get beat up lol.
I do miss being homeless as crazy as that sounds. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to live on the streets but there is a certain freedom to not having a home. Only someone that has been homeless would understand that. You don't have bills, responsibilities, you can come and go when you want. You can really live off the grid.
I don't know. Maybe I'm just a free spirit at heart. I love a good adventure. Being homeless sucked but I have some great stories I can look back on. At the end of the day I do appreciate just be able to have a home, a place to lay my head, a place where I feel safe.
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