The Homeless Interviews #16

This is the 16th post in my series on the homeless.  If this is the first time you've visit this site or the first time since I began the series, I urge you to start way back at the first interview.  I had planned on running the series only for the month of July, however, it's taken much longer. After all, I do have 12+ hours of taped interviews!  Today's interview is with "Gayle", a 45-year-old, fairly simple-mined woman who was shy, quiet, and spoke mostly in "we".  She didn't like to elaborate and I felt like she was trying to make light of the situation. Let's observe "Gayle":

**** Tell me about your childhood.

I don't know much about my family.  I was born from Texas.  I was adopted but I don't know my original parents.  I have no idea where they are.  I don't remember my adoptive parents.  It's been so many years. We bounced around from foster homes, group homes. It just didn't work out, unfortunately.

*** So you grew up in foster care?

Yeah, mostly in foster care.  I was abused as a child, physically and emotionally.  By my mother.  That's one memory I wish I could get rid of. My childhood wasn't really a childhood. 

** Did you go to school?

Yeah I went to school to 10th grade.  I'm working on my GED.  I may be older but I can do it.  I have worked for  couple of years. I was laid off this job.  I was on unemployment but it ran out.  Laundry.  I worked in sortin, working with hospital stuff.  My brother was my supervisor. 

*** How did you learn about the shelter?

We learned about it through the Hope team.  They helped us out. We found out through another camp, through some other people.  I was surprised. I didn't think there was anybody who cared about us homeless people like that.

*** Tell me about where you live. 

We live way down, not to far from here. 

** How did you come to Florida from Texas?

My sister was down here. I came to visit and I ended up staying down here.  (she lived with her sister for a while)  she moved back to Maryland.  We don't see eye to eye.  Not at all.

*** How long have you been homeless?

8-9 months.  Its Not too bad.  All of us we were working.  We all lost our jobs.  We were on unemployment.  Once unemployment ran out we couldn't pay our rent. We ended unbecoming homeless. That's exactly what happened.  (she talks about we as her brother who is not a blood relative, a self-titled family unit.  They all became homeless at the same time. She has no other family that I can elicit from her. Calls the other woman her mom).

*** Any plans for the future?

Get out of the situation we are in.  Get new jobs. Probably get a nice apartment or a trailer that is reasonable.  That's what we are looking for.  Get out of this bad situation as soon as we can.  It's rough living out here. It is not easy.  You gotta get water every day    Gotta a take a shower.  We got a little sun shower but you got to put it in the sun to heat the water up.  It works.  But it's inconvenient.  It's not bad. 

*** Did you ever think you'd be in this situation?

No. I never thought about it.  I never thought it would happen.  The way everything is going up now with gas prices going up and everything it's just getting harder.  I just think positive.  I do puzzles, word searches, read.  Try to help out.  I do what I can to keep preoccupied.  

*** Tell me about a typical day.

Every morning we get up and we will get ready to go out and look for work. We get up and make our beds and get dressed and everything.  Get everything together, our IDs and wallets. We get out the door and get out there and hit the streets to see what we can find. 

*** When you leave do you take all of your things with you?

No.  It’s safer where its at.  Nobody bothers our stuff or nothin’ which is nice.  When we come back we get everything together for the night.  Make dinner and stuff. 

*** What do you do for food?

We got food stamps. We have a little cooking stove and we take turns heating different things up. It’s not bad.  We are not going hungry or anything like that. 

*** As a woman do you feel safe?

Yes I do.  I feel comfortable.  (she has her companions, one of whom is a man). 

*** Do you have children?

No. 

*** Who’s fault is your situation?

I’m not sure.  You got me stumped.  I don’t know how to answer that one.

*** Do you see a lot of drug abuse, mental problems of other homeless people.

No, I don’t.  I only know us and one other couple.  That’s it. We are secluded.  There are only 5 us in one camp.

*** Do any of you drink?

No. Not at all  I don’t. I quit when I was 17.  It’s not worth going to jail or getting in trouble for. 

*** Do you see your self getting out of this situation soon?

No, not too soon.  But hopefully pretty soon but not right away.  It’s not too bad.  We’re hopeful.I’m hopeful.  I think things will work out.  God hasn’t forgotten us.  He has not forsaken us.  He’s going to pull us through this.  The way I see it, it’s a big ‘ol test he’s putting us through right now.  And that’s all we can do is go through the test.

*** Are you angry at all?

No.


(I left this interview frustrated.  I wanted to know more of her story, however, by the end I learned I wasn't going to get it either because she didn't want to talk, or she wasn't able to articulate any more than she had.  One or two more interviews and then a conclusion, I hope.)

Matthew 5: 3-10
³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, 
   for they will be comforted. 
⁵ Blessed are the meek, 
   for they will inherit the earth. 
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 
   for they will be filled. 
⁷ Blessed are the merciful, 
   for they will be shown mercy. 
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, 
   for they will see God. 
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, 
   for they will be called children of God. 
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.