What is it like sleeping without a roof over your head?
- Mar 8, 2016
- 3 min read
On a cold Friday evening in December 2011, I first met Ron sitting at a dark and quiet corner of QFC Grocery and Bartell Drugstore, north of Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA. Ron was savoring every spoonful of the QFC’s Private Selection chocolate ice cream and reading, “Transhuman” by Mark L. Van Name.
Ron came to Bellevue, WA from Burien, WA to seek a little fortune in one of the most affluent city in Western Washington. He has been living in an undisclosed location in Burien for about five years. He has worked as a data entry, computer tech, drywall / construction and many other odd jobs since graduating from high school many years ago. He was lay off and did not get back to find a regular job.
There was not a lot of foot traffic at Bartell / QFC, I quietly suggested him to hang out at The Snowflake Lane, where there is a lot of foot traffic. Heeding my suggestion, he went and set up his sign and a used pint size container at the busy corner of 8th / Bellevue Way. Crowds started pouring in for the Snowflake Lane at 7pm. Dollars started filling in Ron’s cup, He told me he received a single $50 from a guy.
Ron came back the following Friday evening. I know he will. The Sugar Plum Fairy girl, Tia Li told me that he is further down Bellevue Way. After the Snowflake Lane show, he hooked up his wornout Sony Vaio from the roadside outlet. Ron was a computer wiz. He told me he fixed his Sony Vaio laptop given by his dad. Someday he would like to get back into the computer repair business.
Ron was a good sign maker and has several signage for different occasion. Pan handling is all about advertising.
He pulled out a sign and asked me to take photos of his sign. Ron seemed to be a little happier the second Friday
I met him as he is more open to me. I sat with him on the busy street for nearly three hours, as if I am job shadowing in the art of pan handling. Ron is not a “pushy” pan handler. He lets his sign do the “talking”.
While sitting on a busy upscale city, I’ve observed a grand daughter persuaded her grandma to give her a dollar so she could drop into Ron’s cup. Another, a guy persuaded by his girlfriend to give $5. A few, walked pass, hesitated and decided to give later. One Russian father persuaded his hesitant son in Russian. "Не бойся, только дайте это пять долларов, чтобы его". to give his $5 bill to Ron.
Ron told me he gets the most donation when he dozed off into a deep sleep and when he woke up, his cup was filled with dollar bills and change ~ that is passive income!
Then a man drop off four bags of take-outs. Ron went back to his bike to look for a plastic spoon. For a few minutes,
I was sitting infront of his signage and cup all by myself and suddenly it dawned on me I can be a homeless guy. It was a liberating feeling to say the least and if a friend or colleague happens to walk pass and ask, “Tek, what are you doing here?” I would answered, “I am job shadowing on my moonlighting gig.”
How you can help:
According to FeedingAmerica.org,
One in six Americans struggles
with hunger.
Below are some of the non profit
organizations you can help . . .
FeedingAmerica.org
FreeTheChildren.com
FeedTheChildren.org
NationalHomeless.org
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