Reply to: Homeless Tramp

[Peoplesoft bloke]

......

Can you envisage yourself being totally destitute ? Is it something you ever even considered ?

Often. I know that there but for the grace of God go I. That's why I feel bad about not handing over some cash, but probably more guilty about not stopping to talk. I do still buy the Big Issue, but that's not enough really. I also realise that it isn't always solely an issue of money - there's a high proportion of ex-servicemen on the streets.

[expat]

Show me the alley
Show me the train
Show me the hobo
Who sleeps out in the rain
And I'll show you a young man
With so many reasons why
There but for Fortune
Go you and I.

[Cyberman]

I just hope that we do not see too many people suffering like that over the next few years !! You are an inspiration Alf !!

[milanbenes]

amazing Alf

Milan.

[AlfredJPruffock]

That's a sad story Alf but you've obviously done well for yourself since and you have my admiration. In 1993 could you not get any social help ? Surely if you have no money and nowhere to live you can go to the authorities for help.

Back then I didnt go for social help - I was in London at the time and was busking with my guitar to get a few quid - I didnt sign on partly through pride but also because I didnt have a fixed abode - back then you had to sign on daliy if you didnt have a fixed abode - as I said I had income via busking so I wasnt interested in any state support .

As for The Church itself , it was a disused church ( now it is a working Church again and its located on the HighGate Road not far from the Kentish Town Tube Station ) there was a music venue by the Church but I cant recall its name.

The Church had fallen into disrepair then had been renovated by a New Age group (the Rainbow people) basically you had about 30-40 people - artists, dropouts, anyjobbers, travellers who had nowhere else to go - so it became a kind of sanctuary for outsiders united in their unsettled state.

I first came acorss the Church by chance then as they grew to know me they said it was fine to live there - I think they liked my guitar and piano playing - bless them.

In fact I met some fascinating people there - nobody went hungry either we had our own kitchen and local restaurants which would kindly donate food for us , the police used to drop by once in a while but only to make sure everybody was OK in our little commune in North London and we certainly were - if we heard of any villians or theft in the area we would tell the police as well

I found it quite fascinating to live without any dependence on any authority, whether that by the State or Employer - falling asleep at night under cover of the stain glass Church windows depicting Jesus and Mary in the cold London nights I will never forget.

[Cyberman]

Well thats kind but dont feel sorry for old Alf - he went to Hell and back its true - but I would say when youve lived on the streets and lived on your wits you will learn more about yoursalf and society then when you;re top of the pile or coining it in.

I dont want to conclude without mentioning how much kindess I received from perfect strangers during the time of my decline and fall - dont forget folks as you go through this odd thing we call Life - never forget those who are less fortunate than yourself.

And a smile will cost you nothing at all.

That's a sad story Alf but you've obviously done well for yourself since and you have my admiration. In 1993 could you not get any social help ? Surely if you have no money and nowhere to live you can go to the authorities for help.

[BrilloPad]

Surely carboard box house prices must be booming - supply of cardboard boxes is down and demand is up? So the smarter tramps will no doubt see this as an opportunity to trade up.

But Big Issue sales are down?

[DaveB]

In my early days as a support monkey at a large investment bank in London we would regularly throw out very large, reinforced cardboard boxes that used to contain 21" crt monitors. They would then turn up under various bridges along The Embankment providing shelter to some of the assorted homeless people who were dossing down there.

[moorfield]

I wonder what the homeless tramps make of all this economic turmoil malarky ?

Surely carboard box house prices must be booming - supply of cardboard boxes is down and demand is up? So the smarter tramps will no doubt see this as an opportunity to trade up.

[EternalOptimist]

Well thats kind but dont feel sorry for old Alf - he went to Hell and back its true - but I would say when youve lived on the streets and lived on your wits you will learn more about yoursalf and society then when you;re top of the pile or coining it in.

I dont want to conclude without mentioning how much kindess I received from perfect strangers during the time of my decline and fall - dont forget folks as you go through this odd thing we call Life - never forget those who are less fortunate than yourself.

And a smile will cost you nothing at all.

Religious people are the ones who fear hell, spiritual people are the ones who have been there

[AlfredJPruffock]

Well thats kind but dont feel sorry for old Alf - he went to Hell and back its true - but I would say when youve lived on the streets and lived on your wits you will learn more about yoursalf and society then when you;re top of the pile or coining it in.

I dont want to conclude without mentioning how much kindess I received from perfect strangers during the time of my decline and fall - dont forget folks as you go through this odd thing we call Life - never forget those who are less fortunate than yourself.

And a smile will cost you nothing at all.

[EternalOptimist]

Thans for sharing that Alf. A rather moving and cautionary tale.

You did well to get back on your feet after that.

fair brought a tear to my eye that did

God bless him

[bogeyman]

Ive been homeless before.

What would you like to know ?

Down and out isnt that far away from anyone - in the space of three months I lost a job , lost my accomodation - my savings then lost my girlfriend.

The worst loss of all is self-confidence.

After that a spiral of living on friends sofas then when you cant face your friends finally lived in a former church for the homeless.

Dont think the above couldnt happen to you - it can,

During the time I lived in the former Church I had the most unforgettable spiritual experience of my life.

Oddly when you get to Rock bottom there is a kind of relief - this is it - you have no money, little or no food and yet - paradoxically you are free - you have nothing to prove anymore and nothing to live up to.

But this is it - you are Down and Out - what you feared and dreaded the most - and yet you live and life goes on around you.

The above happened to me 1993 in the midst of a very bad rescession - after 18 months I retrurned to work - when I see a tramp walking down the street - I can my own reflection there as well.

Oh and a Happy Ending - I recovered my confidence then worked hard and now own 15 years later own my own home outright.

But in fact you dont own a house - it owns you.


Down and Out
God knows theres a lot of it about
With - Without
Its what the fightings all about

Out of my way - its a busy Day
Got things on my mind

For the want of the price
Of Tea and a slice
The Old Man
Died

Thans for sharing that Alf. A rather moving and cautionary tale.

You did well to get back on your feet after that.

[AlfredJPruffock]

I wonder what the homeless tramps make of all this economic turmoil malarky ?

Can you envisage yourself being totally destitute ? Is it something you ever even considered ?

Ive been homeless before.

What would you like to know ?

Down and out isnt that far away from anyone - in the space of three months I lost a job , lost my accomodation - my savings then lost my girlfriend.

The worst loss of all is self-confidence.

After that a spiral of living on friends sofas then when you cant face your friends finally lived in a former church for the homeless.

Dont think the above couldnt happen to you - it can,

During the time I lived in the former Church I had the most unforgettable spiritual experience of my life.

Oddly when you get to Rock bottom there is a kind of relief - this is it - you have no money, little or no food and yet - paradoxically you are free - you have nothing to prove anymore and nothing to live up to.

But this is it - you are Down and Out - what you feared and dreaded the most - and yet you live and life goes on around you.

The above happened to me 1993 in the midst of a very bad rescession - after 18 months I retrurned to work - when I see a tramp walking down the street - I can my own reflection there as well.

Oh and a Happy Ending - I recovered my confidence then worked hard and now own 15 years later own my own home outright.

But in fact you dont own a house - it owns you.


Down and Out
God knows theres a lot of it about
With - Without
Its what the fightings all about

Out of my way - its a busy Day
Got things on my mind

For the want of the price
Of Tea and a slice
The Old Man
Died

[Cyberman]

Reminds me of a guy that got really pissed and fell asleep on a bench after a night out. A copper woke him up and told him to move on because he could not sleep there, but could he take his money with him. What money, he asked ?

Apparently, somebody had left a KFC box next to him and he had collected about a fiver in coins from passers by !!