Three Month Ride

I'm dancing in Sacramento at the moment, and it's a beautiful city. There are rivers and great bars and people. But, one thing I've noticed a lot here is the homeless, and it got me thinking about my times without a home. Well, that's actually not the truth, I had a car to live in.


I don't know why I decided to live in my car. I had money, I was attending college, and working two jobs. Also, I was flying to Korea for a two week vacation at that time. All I know is, I ended up living in my car for three months.


I owned an Isuzu Rodeo at the time. They're smaller SUVs, so I had enough room in the back to stretch out. All I owned were my clothes, my school supplies, and the Isuzu. It wasn't like I needed a lot of storage. Maybe, I just wanted to see if I could do it, or maybe...

The first month was terrible. I didn't know where to park, or which places were safe. I first started parking on a street that had a lot of activity. Every ten minutes a car or someone would pass by. I thought this would be safer because there were people around to protect me. If someone did mess with me, someone else would see and come to my rescue. I was wrong.


I didn't get much sleep the first month. I would wake up every ten minutes because of a car passing by, or people walking by. I hung my clothes up all around my back windows, so no one could see in "my home" so to say. But this only made me more paranoid with so much activity all around me.

Every thing I heard sounded like someone knocking on my car. I thought it might be the police going to write me a ticket. On a few occasions, I heard people walking by talking about how they knew someone was in the back of that Isuzu. They would say, "look at those clothes hung up, I bet someone's back there." I knew I had to leave such a loud scene.

Now, some of you might be asking, how did I shower? or brush my teeth; basically how did I keep presentable? At the time, I worked for the YMCA. I had a free gym membership, so everyday I went to the gym. I would lift weights, swim, or play basketball, then I would shower and make myself a hot stud.


I have to tell you, at this time, I was in shape. Not only was I working out constantly, but I mostly ate canned food; tuna, green beans, and other vegetables. I was a rock. Actually, when I look at the pictures of this time, I was skinny. I could tell I wasn't happy, but it was a learning experience.

The second month was easier. I found comfortable places to park my car. Places where I didn't have to worry about people finding out I was in the back of the Isuzu. I found a little park next to a harbor. It stayed open til 2 am. There were other campers and the like parked inside the parking lot, so I blended in. I would sleep till 1:45, then drive to a quiet street and sleep till morning. It was working well.


I also discovered I had comrades. Of course the people you can tell; the dishevelled, raggedy Ann's and Andy's we always walk by, brought me in. They seem to bring everyone in. But, there were "respectable" people too. Business men and women would see me sitting in my parked car, and tell me past experiences. They would say, " to get through college I had to sleep in my car too, keep fighting." I practiced martial arts at this time. Accomplished people in my classes would tell me they've done it at my age to get by. Business men in suits would see my belongings hanging up, and tell me, "you'll make it." It felt good to belong.

Into my third month, I found a nice quiet street. It had large houses with huge lots, so I didn't have to worry about people seeing me from their home windows. There lots were too big to see me out on the street. Also, there weren't many street lights. It was nice and dark, I could get a nice sleep without any lights shining through my windows. It seemed this street had no activity at all, I was safe in "my little home."


I don't know if people know this, they probably do because everyone does it. A lot of people bump your car. I think I had at least two people a night bump my car from parallel parking, getting too close to my bumper. After awhile you get used to it. Also, I wasn't going to come running out the back and scream at people; cops would come for sure. So I just laid in the back with my comforter over my head, protected from any observable eyes.

One night I laid half asleep under my comforter, when I heard a loud noise. It was about 2 am, and at first I thought it was someone just bumping my car, while they were parking. So I continued trying to sleep. I don't know why, but I decided to sit up and see what was going on. Maybe it was because the sound was loud, and close.


I sat up, looked in front of me, and I saw the back of a head sitting in my drivers seat. There's a guy sitting in my car, trying to start it. At first, I didn't know what to do. I could feel my heart swing dancing in my chest, I was terrified. I just looked at him for about 10 seconds wondering if it was real. He never looked back, or noticed I was behind him.

I crawled on my knees, in sort of a run, towards him, and yelled as loud as I could. When I reached the back of his seat, I swung with all my force at his head. I must have scared him more than he scared me. In less time it took me to get behind him, he was out the door running for a brown Camaro. His friend was waiting outside in the Camaro. When the car thief reached his passenger side, they dragged raced off into the sunset.

I was shaking like a baby rattle. My heart was making the rattle noise. I knew I couldn't sleep in my car from that time forward. They might be back, I would be in trouble. I called a friend, and couched surfed my way for a little time.

I can't imagine what I would have done if I never sat up and saw what was happening. What would I have done if my car started moving while I was lying in the back? Or worse, I could have slept through it all, and woke up the next day in a TJ chop shop. Never again.

Game Face

I'm working when I get a text from my roommate Sean. "Padre game tonight, lets go faggot," I read on my phone. I don't like the Padres much, but it might be fun. I agree and text back, "Pick me up at work and lets roll."

First, we drive home. We need to drink a few and wait for our DD (designated driver). We buy a couple 18 packs, and some hard shit. We drink the beers like they're water, and we take the shots like it's basketball practice. We have about 20 minutes before our ride comes, so we drink fast. We were pretty disoriented after the race.

Our ride comes, and we jump on the 5. Petco Park is in downtown San Diego, and it's a beautiful sight from the 5. You can see about 12 tall buildings standing around in downtown, with the blue Coronado bridge stretching behind. The buildings look like a bunch of underage kids standing outside a liquor store waiting for their booze. Each building is ready to leave, but they can't go without the other's permission. And the bridge in the background is the little brother who tagged along.


The sky is turquoise, with pink, red, and purple clouds dancing on the blue background. I could have painted a realler scene, but it wouldn't have been as beautiful. I like when clouds dance.

We park our car behind Petco Park, in a carport. Our group has 8 people, with 7 of them wobbling on the street. In front of us is a street, with the trolley tracks after that, and then Petco Park another 200 feet further. We stand at an intersection waiting to cross to get to the trolley, then to walk closer to the field, when to our left a taxi is honking.

I'm ready to give him the fuck you sign, but when we look at him, he's not trying to be rude. He's pointing in front of him, and yelling, "Look!" To our right, about 100 yards down the street, a car is flipped on it's top. My roommate immediately yells, "Adam, let's go."


He starts running to the scene, and I follow. I'm just trying to stay upright because drinking has left me paraplegic. We make it to the car, and its laying at a 45 degree angle on top of the passenger side window. It looks like it's about to roll.

People are standing around the car wondering what to do. They look like the smoking crowd standing outside a bar. I look inside and three people are trapped. A man inside is standing, holding a limp arm. His arm is obviously broken, so he can't help himself climb out. There are two other women. One is cut from head to toe, and crying hysterically. The other is still sitting in the passenger seat. Her head is laying on the passenger side window, and she's not moving. She looks bad.


No one wants to jump in the car because it looks as though it could roll at any time. My roommate and I are standing at the side of the car with the drivers door at our heads. Immediately my roommate opens the drivers door, climbs on top of the side and jumps in. I walk to the back at the rear view window and watch the show.

I see my roommate inside grabbing the man. He's yelling at me to break the rear view window. I dunno if you've ever tried to break a rear view window, but it's hard as shit. I start kicking it, no dice. Another man starts punching it, broken hand. Finally, someone in the crowd finds a metal rod and we start hitting that window like it killed our mothers. That window shattered and fell like a waterfall.


Right away my roommate starts handing me the victims. First, he gives me the man with a broken arm. His arm looks like a spaghetti dinner, a noodle hanging off the plate. But, he can walk. I grab his other arm, and he steps out of the car and sits on the curb.

While this is all happening the police finally arrive. They start surrounding the scene, and watching. I'm at the rear view window, waiting to grab the next, but also waiting for the police to step up and take my place. It's strange, the cops just stand there and watch my roommate and me.


Next, my roommate grabs the hysterical woman. She is so distraught, she can't stand correctly. My roommate has to pick her up and hand her to me. There is glass all over the floor, so I pick her up and carry her over to the curb. She is cut badly, she looks like a butcher had fun with her.

Lastly, my roommate looks at the last woman. She is still not moving, and she looks bad. He leaves her, and I grab his hand to help him through the rear view window. He comes out like a super hero. The hysterical woman is yelling, "He's my hero, my hero!" and pointing at my roommate.


The ambulance shows up and jumps in the car to save the last woman. My roommate and I are still stumbling from our drinks. We felt funny because there are so many cops, so we leave to get more drinks and catch the game. No one got my roommates name. He walked off into the sunset, with the lady yelling,"My hero!"

The Future is Bright with Pictures

Take a picture of what you see, it's worth a thousand words to me. But, what words will I say? I dunno, I'll have to see your pictures. Everyone tries to show a smile, and maybe they do, but anyone who knows will smile with the pic, or at?

Don't explain my night tonight, because someone pointed the camera, but it wasn't a picture I posed for. I could write everything that happened, but you would have to see for yourself; I took a picture and made her smile words she never screamed before. Also, afterwards she smiled as wide as a canyon because she felt happy for a time. If you don't believe I'll find the picture; someone will be smiling.

Then you'll feel as free as a man ready to die, and that picture is worth more than a million. You know why? Because it's your view making my words smile, and I love when you smile my dear. It turns every picture you saw as bright as someone running for the light. And then turns one picture worth a thousand into one smiling for their future. Or maybe just me...smiling?

All I know is that the more pictures you take, the more you'll have to show in the near future. It will be your future as bright as your smile. But who's going to see it?

Jobs