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I Spent Four Years Chatting With The Homeless, And I Was Amazed By What I Heard
One doesn't always have change to spare, but when someone reaches their hand out, the least anyone can give, is a smile.
This is how all the interactions I have with people panhandling start. With a smile. And a genuine "Hi. How are you?"
I've had amazing conversations with people on the streets, I've learned things about history and geography; I've learned about cultures I'm not from; about our society, about literature, art, and philosophy. I've laughed, and I've cried; I've both felt joy and anger; hope, and despair.
To me, these are so much more than pictures, or even portraits. They are memories; recollections of encounters that shaped me into the person I am today. I've grown more as a human being by speaking with all these people than by listening to all of the teachers who's class I attended during my education.
And I'm sharing them here today for I hope they'll make you want to stop, listen, and grow with these people too.
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#1
Fernand Is Probably The Nicest Guy I've Ever Met. And Many People Commented The Same Thing When They Saw This Picture On My Blog
Final score:
117points
Susanna Vesna 7 years ago
The cat wouldn't chill with him if he wasnt! They are both so cute and I want to adopt them!
RELATED:
#2
Mario Went To Prison After He Killed The Man Who Raped His Little Baby Boy. He Then Lost Everything
Final score:
113points
SnoopyCereal 7 years ago
While killing him was a horrible way to solve this, I hope that your baby boy is doing fine.
Susanna Vesna 7 years ago
I am sorry...We are talking about a pedophile scum who has traumatized a child...The fact this man is homeless, suggests that things did not work out well for his child. Imagine yourself in his shoes. I doubt there is a person in this world who can control themselves if this happens to them.
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Ben Smith 7 years ago
I spent much of my life working with homeless people and the vast majority have some sort of mental illness and/or a drug or alcohol addiction. I'm not saying this story is made up (although I sort of hope it is), but while it's sad to say, it's true: everything homeless people say needs to be taken with a HUGE grain of salt.
Gayle Bynum Cardosa 7 years ago
Ben you're 100% right. It may not be a popular thing to say but one cannot be naive either. I have incredible love and empathy for every person and I don't care what brought them to their circumstances but I also know that the streets are a place of stories woven to garner favor whether it be sympathy, money or something else. I would do the same and I do believe that we all do the same in our own way.
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Zerish Kamal 7 years ago
F**K THAT DOUCHE I SAY HE DESERVED IT AND THIS GUY DESERVES BETTER hope he gets back in his feet soon
#3
I Asked Him What Feeling He Wanted His Picture To Convey, He Said "Love." And I Snapped This As He Was Saying "I Love My Wife"
Final score:
111points
#4
She Once Hit A Man With A Stick, Because He Had Just Done The Same To His Dog
Final score:
111points
#5
After Posting His Picture, Someone Actually Hired Normand To Do Some Construction Work
Final score:
104points
#6
He Told Me About The Time A Little Girl Gave Him Her Lollipop And It Made Him Cry
Final score:
101points
#7
Mostafa Speaks 8 Languages. Including Yiddish
Final score:
100points
Shruti Naik 7 years ago
8 languages! wow. thats real talent. he could try looking for a job as a linguistic! his life could be better! he could get off the streets!
Jean-Marc Dos Santos 7 years ago
you are implying that he is on the street because he hasn't tried? this is the most ridiculous comment ever ... you do not nor should you pretend to know what path a person has taken to be where they are today....
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Rhân 7 years ago
Because getting homeless can happen to everyone and has many reasons
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Very_GAY 7 years ago
It's sad that you up voted your own comment, because i certainly know nobody HERE is that dumb!
Load More Replies... #8
Fanny Ran Away From Home, And Her Abusive Step Dad, When She Was A Teen
Final score:
93points
Panagiotis Nikas 7 years ago
It is an optical illusion, she wears a dark thin trouser under the first to protect her self from the cold weather.. But this is not what we have to be worried about, but about that she need a family...
Load More Replies... #9
He'd Probably Convince The Grinch That Smiling Is The Best Thing Anybody Can Do
Final score:
82points
Very_GAY 7 years ago
Wow, you said something a decent man would. Im impressed
Load More Replies... #10
He's Inuk, And He Married A Cree Woman. Though It Was A Difficult For Some People Of Their Respective Communities To Accept, This Was The Happiest Day Of His Life
Final score:
76points
Very_GAY 7 years ago
She could be anywhere. She might be dead. He might be trying to see the best in life, He might be doing something worthwhile, maybe
Load More Replies... #11
Katt Definitely Wins First Place In Terms Of Sign Creativity
Final score:
73points
Bella Smith 7 years ago
So what, who cares if someone decides to be homeless by choice read this: Mr Stink by David Walliams! and also who cares if a couple of people spare a dollar just so that this girl can live the life she wants. People then say things like but what if everyone did that but not everyone would. AHH this comment makes me so angry!
Load More Replies... #12
They Had Just Started Saying "I Love You" To Each Other
Final score:
71points
Jlaw 7 years ago
Sorry John, nobody has to shame you because you shame yourself! I'm sure you have a job, I'm just really sorry for your coworkers:(
Load More Replies... #13
He Used To Be A Professional Skater. Went Too Far With The Partying That Comes With It
Final score:
67points
#14
He Has A Wife And A Baby
Final score:
65points
MartinTheVlogger 7 years ago
exactly and a dog...!!!! we have one kind of a stupid joke/ and i believe true saying, in our country.. Close a dog and your wife/girlfriend to a trunk of your car for 10min.. then come back and open the trunk.. and you will see who really loves you then :)))) i said its stupid :))))
Nia Loves Art 7 years ago
True, but a lot of jobs require that you have a place of residence. Some people also have mental health or drug issues that prevent them from working.
Load More Replies... #15
They've Been Together For Nine Months
Final score:
63points
#16
She's Fighting The System To Be Able To See Her Daughter Again Someday
Final score:
60points
John Smith 7 years ago
looks like a disaffected adolescent ..... time to get on with your life
#17
He Used To Work For The Cirque Du Soleil
Final score:
59points
Bella Smith 7 years ago
No, they are not as lazy and whatever you think. For my Duke of Edinburgh, I spent time at a homeless job centre. Most of them do try to get jobs, some like the life, and yes some are lazy but most of them get judged by people like you and then they don't actually get the job. STOP JUDGING PEOPLE WHO START BEHIND IN THE RACE OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!! your ignorance is sending me mad!
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Molly Tallmadge 7 years ago
They could be things he used to own and when he became homeless he kept them
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#18
He's Doing All He Can To Find Himself An Apartment And Get Back On Tracks. But When You Start From Literaly Nothing, There Are Many Hoops To Jump Through
Final score:
57points
Carmen Stanca 7 years ago
It tells more about the society he lives in than n volumes of sociology...
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#19
Her Favorite Author Is Simone De Beauvoir
Final score:
54points
#20
He Taught Me A Lot About Heroin Addiction, And What Withdrawal Does To Your Body
Final score:
51points
#21
They Taught Me How To Say Merry Christmas And Happy New Year In Inuktitut (The Inuit Language)
Final score:
47points
#22
Jake, The One Standing Up On The Left, Voluntarily Overdosed Himself A Couple Of Days Ago. He Had Been Clean For 45 Days Then. He Hated The Fact That He Loved Heroin. He Will Be Sorely Missed By His Friends
Final score:
46points
John Smith 7 years ago
What a bunch of hippie losers. "voluntarily overdosed himself" ........ wtf ..... lol
Bella Smith 7 years ago
You are a disgrace you are completely judgmental picture this: You're parents have been homeless or at least very poor or on drugs, you get drugs of them or someone in school because you don't know any better then you get addicted and the rest is history you seriously need to think of this. Was this your life?
Load More Replies... #23
He Quit Drinking A Few Months Ago. He Made The Decision To Quit On The Day He Set Out To Kill Himself
Final score:
46points
Very_GAY 7 years ago
Did you take the time to opinionated yourself on every single post? Because nobody asked for it. And nobody wants it. And nobody cares for it.
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Chess Wizard 7 years ago
I'm not seeing anything creepy. Are you talking about his reflection, or something else?
Load More Replies... #24
"We're Salt And Pepper". Salt Was A Military Man, He's Decorated Three Times
Final score:
45points
Krishna Vishwas 7 years ago
It's a shame that a military man who did so much for his own country is living like this.
Molly Tallmadge 7 years ago
It's a shame that anyone is living like this!
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Miklós Nagy 7 years ago
I knew that the USA treats its former soldiers as a trash, but Canada too?
John Smith 7 years ago
Pepper is a draft dodger. Together they adopted an asian baby named Chive.
Bella Smith 7 years ago
You see that man he is not lazy he has been in the dam military and stop judging people and what is your deal pls respond I need to understand these ridiculous comments
Load More Replies... #25
He's A Rock'n'roll Lover. Anything There Is To Know About The Beatles, He Knows
Final score:
44points
Shruti Naik 7 years ago
maybe he could start a blog? he knows so much, that talent shouldn't get wasted!
Bella Smith 7 years ago
SHUT UP! Please can you go volunteer at a homeless shelter and seriously learn a few things that not everyone who is homeless is lazy!
Load More Replies... #26
I Didn't Get To Speak Much With The Gentleman, But I Think The Spot He Picked For Himself Says A Lot About His Personality
Final score:
43points
#27
He Plays Jingle Bells Quite Well
Final score:
37points
#28
He Became Religious When He Quit Using Drugs
Final score:
35points
Miriam L 7 years ago
Can you please send me more details about this person? No Jew should be left without help? Is there a community nearby? Where does he live? I want to know what I can do to help. Any details are appreciated.
Janine B. 7 years ago
No person of any religion should be left without help.
Load More Replies... #29
Reggie Taught Me A Magic Trick
Final score:
33points
#30
They Taught Me How To Say "Be Happy" In Inulktitut
Final score:
33points
Carmen Stanca 7 years ago
I think they're somewhere in Quebec, because there are too many French speakers.
Load More Replies... #31
He Was A Marksman In The Canadian Military. Ok I Have My Doubts About The Veracity Of The Story He Told Me, But Still, It Was A Cool One
Final score:
30points
Betsy Braddock 7 years ago
I wonder what marksman means there. Here it means that you barely hit enough targets to be in the army. (Sauce: I was a marksman & then sharpshooter.)
Jlaw 7 years ago
Actually, once again John is being rude and offensive...surprise!
Load More Replies... #32
Gilles Passed Away In Late 2016. He Was Fernand's Best Friend. They Considered Each Other As Brothers
Final score:
30points
#33
Even Though They Each Have Their Own Place, Evan And Elizabeth Sleep Outside Some Nights, Just To Stay Together
Final score:
30points
Gayle Bynum Cardosa 7 years ago
Not really. I think when you're completely alone in the world and perhaps in physical danger if you're alone it makes sense.
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Chess Wizard 7 years ago
Often times shelters (especially long term ones) and low rent places, do not allow visitors, especially overnight ones.
Load More Replies... Very_GAY 7 years ago
Sorry John, but humans care, and you're clearly not human.
Load More Replies... #34
They Taught Me That Happiness Comes From Within. They Said "We Are Happy Because If They Weren't, Then They'd Be Miserable"
Final score:
29points
Bella Smith 7 years ago
Seriously why do you instantly say that they aren't even holding beer or alcohol just friends who are homeless but happy and don't feel like they need anything else the simple necessities!
Load More Replies... #35
He's Cherokee
Final score:
28points
#36
This Is Ozzy. His Best Friend's Name Is Also Ozzy
Final score:
27points
#37
He's Actually Saving Up Money To Buy A Playstation
Final score:
27points
Gayle Bynum Cardosa 7 years ago
My father is an anti-smoker but he used to smoke 50 years ago for many years. Now when he sees a homeless person with cigarettes and other people say things like "well he can afford cigarettes so..." My dad has an interesting response. "That person has nothing." He says. "If a small pleasure like cigarettes can be the one indulgence or pleasure in an otherwise wretched life then who are we to deny them that?"
Kelly Oconnor 7 years ago
Exactly. Their lives suck. They should have something that makes them happy. Even if it may be bad for them, like drinking smoking etc.
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Daria B 7 years ago
If it's a PS Vita, he will (technically) not need a TV and a home, just some electricity to charge the batteries and wi-fi.
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Gayle Bynum Cardosa 7 years ago
perfectly fine but to add to a conversation one usually makes a statement followed by a reason. Something other than just a proclamation and nothing else. Do you also walk into a breakfast room and announce, "I eat bananas." and leave? Do you care to elaborate or.....?
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What do you think ?
Just Amiable 7 years ago
'She once hit a man with a stick, because he had just did the same to his dog' ... That woman is awesome!
Kevin Braid 7 years ago
i would encourage everyone reading this, go do something good for the homeless, i did a small act last night, i gave a homeless guy my cheeseburger. i always give him my pocket change too when i can.
Robert O 7 years ago
My neighbour and I recovered her stolen dog from a young homeless man. (She realizes her stupidity in losing her dog) She asked "Why?" He explained welfare gives him a larger cheque if he has a pet. There are not enough strays in my urban environment to explain all the "pets" being "taken care of" by homeless.
Susanna Vesna 7 years ago
As I understand from the mix of English, French and indigenous people- this is Canada. Justin Trudeau, bae hope you are doing something about this?
Just Amiable 7 years ago
'She once hit a man with a stick, because he had just did the same to his dog' ... That woman is awesome!
Kevin Braid 7 years ago
i would encourage everyone reading this, go do something good for the homeless, i did a small act last night, i gave a homeless guy my cheeseburger. i always give him my pocket change too when i can.
Robert O 7 years ago
My neighbour and I recovered her stolen dog from a young homeless man. (She realizes her stupidity in losing her dog) She asked "Why?" He explained welfare gives him a larger cheque if he has a pet. There are not enough strays in my urban environment to explain all the "pets" being "taken care of" by homeless.
Susanna Vesna 7 years ago
As I understand from the mix of English, French and indigenous people- this is Canada. Justin Trudeau, bae hope you are doing something about this?
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