How about more Urban survival stuff?? Those were interesting threads and stories.

I had a near miss myself. I had lost a job in my home town and my girlfriend at the time said that I should move with her to her home town (where her mom lives), even though she had 4 daughters that still lived at home I decided to move along with them.

Things were not too bad for the first few years, but from bouncing from job to job and drinking heavily, I soon found myself without a driver’s license and bank account. Near the end of that mess, my ex- girlfriend came home one day and let us all know that she rented a different house, this one was $400 more a month and had white carpets (so she didn’t allow my dog inside). and wanted me to pay half of everything.

It was all on me to find a job then doing whatever I could (I had a specialized degree at the time). She was getting child support for 4 kids and 50% of a military retirement check. She was close to a “cougar” for me. Anywise, things went downhill fast! She had become obese, domineering, and bitchy.

I ended up calling up a lifelong friend back in my home town, and he said that I could move in with him and his girlfriend until I could get on my feet, so I was all “Hells-Yeah!” so I got a U-Haul trailer and drove the old truck I had (it was sitting there the whole time) to my friends house. My father ended up taking the truck back, it was on loan to us, but I couldn't make the payments.

So, I put a bunch of stuff in his garage and started sleeping on the living room floor. My friends Girlfriend had 3 kids living at home, and the house was under section 8. I was there about 2 weeks looking for work, he wouldn’t let me use the house phone line to log into the internet (did I say my degree was specialized, lol), so I would go to the library and use the computers there (time limit and limited # of uses per visit). Then his girlfriend didn’t want me at her house until my friend was home, which was about 7:30pm (this was in the middle of winter)

I ended up getting the first job that I could find. So, I take this painter’s prep/ car sander job for 8 dollars an hour, walking and taking the bus every day. What happened was that when I would get off work at about 4:30pm I had to wait until about 8pm before I could show up where I could sleep. The library closes at about 6pm so I had at least 2 hours to go and sit in a public park, more if I didn't want to go sit in the f-in’ library

I was just trying to save up a damage deposit on an apartment, but in the mean time my friend and I got in a fight. Mostly because I was trying to sleep at about 8:15pm (tired as hell) and he was just getting home, so he wanted to drink until about 11pm. I ended up having to go to a motel that fried my deposit money that I was saving up for. I was there for about a week until I found a room I could rent. (I took my computer desk top and a bag of clothes on a dolly that I had, and walked to the motel).

I ended up getting a better job that paid $10.00 an hour, and was less strenuous and bounced around from rental room to rental room, always trying to save my damage deposit money. I ended up buying a pretty cheap Trek mountain bike, and that helped with getting groceries and things.

What I had learned is that $15.00 Walmart shoes wear out fast, but their $15.00 backpacks rock! I would usually stop at a grocery store and get a package of flour tortillas, some cheap hot dogs and ketchup when I was living out of my friend’s house. I was never “homeless” but people I knew saw me out on the streets and sitting at bus stops, so the word got around that I was homeless.

Now, (about 5 years later) I am 4 classes away from another degree, with a move to a different state in the hopefully near future. I have a bank account, built up my credit, got my driver’s license back, and have a car now. I can even afford a few knives on my college budget here and there. There is a way out, but it takes a lot of sober work to do it. Its too bad that my friend in this story kept on getting plastered every night. He became unable to reason with, so we grew apart since then.
 
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Wing-Man,

It may not mean much, but you have my respect! Keep it up!
 
Great story wingman. Glad to hear things have gotten better for you and it sounds like you are well on your way for greater things :thumbup:.


Bryan
 
sicily02 said:
Great story wingman. Glad to hear things have gotten better for you and it sounds like you are well on your way for greater things :thumbup:.


Bryan
Click to expand...

Thanks, I thought my story would give an example of how easy it is to go homeless. I'm kinda' freedom loving though. I never married or had children, so I didn't plan so well in my younger years.
 
For the homeless, by my own experience, your appearance can determine your treatment from others. Depending on how you look, people will either look at you, shoo you away, or ignore you. If you look neat and clean, you will be like everyone else--ignored. If you look as if you are going to cause trouble (you appear nervous, jittery, hyper-active, unsure), you may be percieved to be a threat or simply up to no good. If you are dirty, smelling, of course you will be ushered out hard and fast by security--I've seen it several times, sadly. I once watched as a homeless man, admittedly he was dirty and unshaven, but he was very hungry and HAD money, and yet security was called and he was escorted out. It was bs in my opinion. The man was hungry! Cripes! Let em' buy a burger, if he wants. I've been judged by my appearance as well (usually after work, covered in mud and woodchips), so I went and bought the man some lunch and took it to him outside after shooting dirty looks and loosing some choice words.

The problem:Clothing gets dirty, you smell if you cannot bathe, and it's hard to shave without a razor.

Often times, Churches can be a boon. Often enough they can give out donated clothing, and sometimes even food. If they ask you to stay for a service or to do an odd-job, then do it! It's asking very little for the great they can give you. You may even be able to wash up in their restrooms, if you ask politely.
Also, there are fuel-station restrooms, and here you can clean up fairly well. There is usually soap on hand. It's not so bad, but it's cold in there in the winter and a winter bath is a pain. Sometimes you can find shaving razors at the "Dollar" stores cheap cheap.

Appearance may not seem important, but when you think about it, it is very important. Sometimes, blending in with the crowd, not drawing attention is a blessing. Some attention, such as that of predators, can be lethal. Also, how you appear to the police can make your day (and theirs) much easier. :-) Wether we like to admit it or not, we all make assumptions on others based on appearance and dress.
 
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bored2deth said:
For the homeless, by my own experience, your appearance can determine your treatment from others. Depending on how you look, people will either look at you, shoo you away, or ignore you. If you look neat and clean, you will be like everyone else--ignored. If you look as if you are going to cause trouble (you appear nervous, jittery, hyper-active, unsure), you may be percieved to be a threat or simply up to no good. If you are dirty, smelling, of course you will be ushered out hard and fast by security--I've seen it several times, sadly. I once watched as a homeless man, admittedly he was dirty and unshaven, but he was very hungry and HAD money, and yet security was called and he was escorted out. It was bs in my opinion. The man was hungry! Cripes! Let em' buy a burger, if he wants. I've been judged by my appearance as well (usually after work, covered in mud and woodchips), so I went and bought the man some lunch and took it to him outside after shooting dirty looks and loosing some choice words.

The problem:Clothing gets dirty, you smell if you cannot bathe, and it's hard to shave without a razor.

Often times, Churches can be a boon. Often enough they can give out donated clothing, and sometimes even food. If they ask you to stay for a service or to do an odd-job, then do it! It's asking very little for the great they can give you. You may even be able to wash up in their restrooms, if you ask politely.
Also, there are fuel-station restrooms, and here you can clean up fairly well. There is usually soap on hand. It's not so bad, but it's cold in there in the winter and a winter bath is a pain. Sometimes you can find shaving razors at the "Dollar" stores cheap cheap.

Appearance may not seem important, but when you think about it, it is very important. Sometimes, blending in with the crowd, not drawing attention is a blessing. Some attention, such as that of predators, can be lethal. Also, how you appear to the police can make your day (and theirs) much easier. :-) Wether we like to admit it or not, we all make assumptions on others based on appearance and dress.
Click to expand...

So, staying clean is a important priority when being homeless. I can understand this. Safe shelter and food procurement are important priorities as well. Very difficult when so many try to block you from these goals.

To me, securing your equipment while you are out and about would be very important because without it, you would be in a very bad way. Lots of potential enemies here and predators out there. Not sure if I would even want to be in a urban setting at all.
 
Don't be a victim. That's the point. I remember one time when I got out of grad school and moved back to DC, I stayed in a really crappy place in Northeast DC (which, by the way, is basically Rwanda). I was walking back to the crappy hostel I was staying at with several bags full of groceries, when a guy started walking right next to me, walking and strutting and talking very loudly. I was smoking a cigarette, so he says, "Let me get a cigarette." I put my groceries in my other hand, pulled out my box of smokes, and gave him a cigarette. Then he says, "Let me get two!" I obliged and gave him another one. I keep walking, and he's walking next to me, acting like a prick, and shouts, "Give me five, man!" I held my hand out, and I swear he *smacked* the bejeezus out of my hand with full force. It hurt. He starts laughing and goes, "Give me five!" again. At this point, I stopped in my tracks and looked him dead in the eyes. I was not nervous, and my gaze was probably ice cold. He looked at me and in half a second realized I wasn't really a victim. He goes, "Oh, you hard?" He walked next to me for another block and then crossed the street. Never saw him again and moved out of that crappy neighborhood a week later.

Don't be a victim. Control you heart rate, and don't be afraid to look anyone dead in the eyes and even ask, "What do you want?" Most petty criminals are looking for easy targets. Don't be an easy target.
 
All good advice! While I've never been completely homeless, its amazing what a divorce and losing 55% of your income can do. I could have moved in with my parents, but that wasn't going to work. I could have stayed with friends, but I don't like to impose. So, for three weeks I lived out of my car. I found that the Dollar Tree stores can provide a LOT of basic survival needs for under $10. I ate a lot of canned food, but was able to stay clean and healthy (my job has shower facilities so that wasn't an issue). After figuring out exactly how much I had to live on, I was able to get a small (and I mean SMALL) apartment. I still shopped at Dollar Tree, and learned the value of living simply; a lesson i keep with me today.
 
:-) Yup, appearance and cleanliness are important--how people look at you in that situation can dictate how encounters play out, especially with cops, security,
managers, etc.

Water:

Water aquisition can be easy or difficult, depending on a variety of factors. Appearance, here, can play a very important role. Public buildings often have restrooms and water fountains open to all, which means if you carry a backpack you can carry water bottles..water bottles can be refilled. This can provide a constant and CLEAN supply of drinking water, as well as the means to clean yourself in a basic sense (as well as a quick shave). These buildings can also be a haven, especially in the sweltering summer heat, and the chilling winter cold--restroom, ac/heat, and in the case of the library--books AND internet (which can allow you to brush up on, study, or learn entirely,skills and means to protect yourself, survive, and sustain. This is often much safer in an urban environ than trying to boil water, or to drink from rain puddles. You have to remember, there are far more and worse toxins in the urban environ than the wilds (chems, run offs, oils, bodywaste, etc.)
 
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