What a Life!

I spent an hour talking to "Doug" this week. We were sitting in a bar downtown. Doug sits in the corner reading, having a brandy and a coke. I've known who he was for years, but never really had a long talk with him before.

Don is 64 and makes his living by selling newspapers on a street corner downtown. He makes $18 to $40 bucks a day, more on Sundays -- sometimes $100.

Don sleeps outside.

He has a private little corner downtown near a building where there are one or two others camping out. He cleans up every morning, so no one has any reason to complain about him. He says the property owner knows he is there.

He buys all his food from the Turf and McDonalds. He doesn't like going to get free food at a mission (I offered).

He doesn't want to take any social security even though he is eligible. This guy has worked his whole life -- quite awhile as a bartender. He's also a veteran, but doesn't want to mess with getting any benefits.

Doug is going to tough it out until summer of 2005 when he turns 65, and his social security benefits will be better; then he'll think about getting a place.

Here's the thing about Doug. He's bright. He's interesting. He works every day, seven days a week. His whole world is lived between Jackson street and 3rd & Bell. Is he an alcoholic? Probably -- although I've never seen him sloppy drunk in all the years I've known him.

Next time you think about homeless people as worthless scum, remember Doug, 64 year old worker who doesn't make enough to live inside and doesn't want any public handout.