Never saw her before or her sign. Gave her $1. Asked for permission to shoot and about the kid. “Go ahead she said he’s with Dad.”
Category: Homeless
Scotty’s Up and Around
Molly Again at the Rock
So, she has dates which cause distress. A birthday and an anniversary when her Dad died. Comforted for a while at the Salvation Army, someone dropped a dime, causing the Army to cast her out. She’s back on the street again. She wants a relationship that lasts, fueled by love. She searches for self worth. She knows she can do it. But she doesn’t know how. Where will she stay? At what cost?
Burlington Rains Again
Out early. Not much movement. The sun didn’t appear. No peek through for the breakwater. Overrun with water, the birds barely have a place to sit, at least from where I stand. Too humid for comfort, air also has some sediment from a fire which burns in my eyes. Cannot drink my coffee. Out of here.
Kids at Camp Gan cannot figure out what to do. Supposed to go on a boat ride. No way to challenge the lightning or rain. What to do?
Kelly sits on Cherry St, moved from Main. People complain she has a place to live and doesn’t need to beg. Its her job. But she sits in the sun, dressed well, courteous to a fault. Not many who don’t know her or can pass her by. Misses Paul.
Richard stays sober until he doesn’t. Hasn’t had to go back to treatment. Hangs out near Lowe’s and Hannafords. Ramp out of order for him. Ruggededly handsome. Lives nearby in the woods, somewhere.
Don’t have his name. He has mine. Struggling. Living in the woods. Hasn’t smoked in a while. Sweet and kind. Has friends.
A musician. Used to play a horn. Lost his teeth. Never saw him before. James Harvey, he calls himself. Been around here longer than I have. Has a brown dog. Looking to pick himself up and play again in the fall.
Ed Larrabee. Met him at the beach. He ventured to North Beach to escape the craziness on Church Street. Has a heritage he can be proud of. No place to live but he knew where he was going to crash tonight. Has a book about the Middle East which he wants to read, but he fears he doesn’t know enough to make it worthwhile. Understands people, but not injustice. Exudes self-confidence and personal strength.
Don’t ask me how any of them arrived in a place where I can picture them. And, they don’t ask me why I am in their midst.
Stacey and Robert, Married
The skies emptied. We searched for the JP. Bride and groom soaked. All assembled. Vows and a kiss.
Rained like hell. Moved inside the train station. Helped by Melinda Moulton’s support.
Not planned, but a cool place.
Not ones to step up to the bar, anymore, but ones who have accepted the responsibility of marriage.
Will you please show me that you are about to be married and in love. Cannot force these faces. They just happen!
Not a big weeding. But everyone who attended, cared. No ring. No reception. They had to leave quickly to sign up for a place to spend the night. Still homeless and hopeful.
Stacey and Robert, Engaged
What does an engagement announcement look like? Usually, it contains a picture of the loving couple and some text about where they went to school, who their fathers and mothers are, and what they do for a living. Sometimes it ends with a statement of where they will live. None of that matters here.
Robert and Stacey don’t have a place to live. Their family history carries no importance to their impending nuptials. Positive, almost to a fault, about their future, they want enter a formal union which will announce their commitment to the community. Not important enough for the local paper, their engagement and upcoming marriage should receive some note and support. They will be married next week down by the Burlington Waterfront, though they don’t have money for a catered affair on the Ethan Allen, lunch at Splash or a spread in the backyard of a friend. Maybe, only a couple of parents, relatives and friends, none of whom have held office or operate any large corporations. But, you don’t need to know where they came from or what they wll do to survive to understand that they need each other enough get a marriage license and let everyone know they are one.
Money doesn’t buy happiness.
Photographers cannot make people look happy. The people have to do it themselves.
Eric’s Coming Out
He looks fines, somedays. Sits or hangs out around the same places. Watches the street, for what we don’t know. Sees somethings we cannot imagine. Not ready yet to be put back together. Decided he needed to take a bath or a swim. Dived into Lake Champlain. Muck and mire on the surface. Left clothes in sumac or poison ivy. Covered with blisters. Chad lent him a razor. Hadn’t seen his face in twelve years.
Chief Lives in Style
So Chief’s off the street. He has a home, cozy place on a nice street. Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and a room for clothes and his guitar. Now, he just has to learn how to live the way the rest of us do, taking care of business. Success in life starts with a place to live. Then health, wealth and happiness can follow. And wealth, that just means having enough.
Bernard Not a Yankee Fan
Don’t usually shoot people wearing hats. Got my friend McQuade to hold the reflector. Never shot Bernard. My shoot loosener fell flat. “Not a good day for the Yankees. Old. Injured. And they lost.” “I don’t follow baseball,” he said.
Tough to work alone. When one of my guys finds the light, it makes them smile. All my photos become a bigger collaboration with the people I shoot.
Chad sporting a Prince Valliant look.
Scotty has his pouch.
Amy received a certificate for attending a Peer Emotional Counselling Program.
New girl in town.
Larry the Bottleman
Redemption. We seek redemption for different reasons. Larry promotes a clean environment, relying on the arrogance of those who cast their containers aside after binging on the beach. He lives to drink another day, clearing the beach and adjoining land of debris. We get to enjoy the view.