I’ve been homeless since Sept. 29, 1970 — longer than anybody else out here. In those nearly 55 years, I’ve learned: Don’t ask for stuff from people on the street. It’s heartbreaking when they say no, it’s rejection. You don’t wanna ask nobody else, they’re gonna say the same thing.
I grew up in Sellersburg, Indiana, a town that had as many people as Nashville has homeless people. I left my mom and dad’s house because I told my mom I was quitting school. I got tired of going through what I did at school and having to put up with a mouth from a cop’s son all the time, and I wasn’t allowed to shut it no more. I had to quit beating him up, but I was still getting beat up when I got home. And then if I was lucky, I got to go in the house and take a bath and go to bed. If not, I slept in the garage. Sometimes it was warm, sometimes it wasn’t — all depended on if mom left the door open.
My mom said, “You quit school, you’ll leave this house.” I said, “You pack my suitcase, and I’ll leave.” She called my bluff and packed it. I called hers, so I picked it up and walked out.
Now I stay in a tent next to the railroad track. I’ve been in a tent almost this entire time, whenever I had one or could get one. I’ve had an apartment three times, but each time didn’t last even 30 days. I was in jail at least three months waiting to go to court. Rent had been due for two months. So, what was left in my apartment when I got out? Nothing.
In all this time, Nashville is the most interesting place I’ve ever been. I love country music. There used to be a stage in Paradise Park, which is now Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places, and I wanted to play there. Other people did, and all they had was a guitar. So, I went and asked. He said, “I got an opening on Thursday night.” I took it.
I played country music on the guitar — the classics like old Hank Sr., Jim Reeves. Reeves’ “Four Walls” hit the charts in 1957, the year I was born. I love that song. But a lot has changed since the 70s.
These days, I wish I had a guitar. I can still play. I also like to fish. Just like that Brad Paisley song, “But today she met me at the door. Said I would have to choose. If I hit that fishing hole today. She’d be packing all her things. And she’d be gone by noon. Well, I’m gonna miss her.”
That’s what I say, “I’m gonna miss you.”
If you ever go fishing, one of the most important things is where to cast your bait and to fish with live bait, not artificial bait. You’ll catch more fish that way. When it’s raining, where do you cast your bait? Out in the middle of the pond? No, you cast it under the trees, along the edge. Rain hits the leaves. Bugs are still on those leaves, so bugs hit that water. Fish’ll snatch them.
On a typical day, I’m out there selling the paper on a corner somewhere, usually in Madison on Gallatin Pike. I’ve been selling the paper since 2019. I like the selling paper because I get to smile at people. And a lot of times, I might not get any buyers, but I get a smile back. Then sometimes they pull up the next time to buy a paper.
Three words to remember: persistence, persistence, persistence. You gotta be known first in that area, so keep going back. Because the more they see you there, the more they get to know you. You keep smiling, you keep waving. They wonder, “He’s always in a happy mood. Why?” And they pull over to find out.