I went out shooting in the Mission with some Flickr friends. It was on Mission Street that I met Gary, stooped down, leaning against a building, reading a book and asking for change. I asked him if I could take his picture and hear his story for $2 and he replied, "Hell yes!" I think he's been photographed many times before because he asked if I was part of that "photo project."
Gary is 55 yrs old and hails from Virginia. He went to Berkeley to study history & philosophy and flunked out. He worked for many years and even owned his own business (I can't remember what kind). I asked how he ended up on the streets - "divorce and drugs." Gary said he's not clean, that's why he's asking for spare change. He lives in a tent behind some apartments and the residents there treat him like a neighbor. Gary said he's not one of those bums who sleep in their own pool of piss. I asked him what he thinks the future holds - he has no plans to get off the street because he gets to talk to a lot of people and is able to scrape by.
There were more questions I wanted to ask, but the Flickr peeps were a block ahead and I wanted to catch up with them for dinner. I gave Gary $2 and wished him luck.
Taken 6/22/11 - Week 25
Posted 6/24/11
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