Thought you might tell the Police

Ran along Ponsonby Road to Three Lamps, this morning. Gentle enough and felt fine. I went past this man sitting on the step outside a shop, and then thought of getting a photo. After taking it, I waved at him, and then decided I should talk to him.

I introduced myself, and said that I am an amateur photographer (which he later confirmed that meant I don't sell my photos), and I take photos along Ponsonby Road. After telling me his name (J......), he made the above comment and laughed. After assuring him I have nothing to do with the Police (as a photographer), I asked why he thought that might happen.

He told me that he was sitting there drinking alcohol and smoking weed, and the kids would be coming out soon, so he'd have to go. We talked somewhat more, and he was quite insistent on asking me some questions, telling me that I had his photo, so he wanted information. That was fair.

In the short time we talked he did tell me something about his life. And basically it is a story of lack of opportunity to develop his capabilities. He didn't tell me why he left school the day he turned 15 (the "leaving age" when he was 15). He was ill educated and certainly would not have achieved optimally for himself. He was soon in trouble with the law and (by inference) had a custodial sentence (youths back then were sent to Borstal rather than prison), during which he took great delight in challenging the "instructor". 

Thereafter, I think it probable that he has been on the margins of society, and that substances have been the focus of his attention. Alcohol, cannabis, even amphetamine can dull the pain of alienation. I do not know that this is truly his story, but he looked and sounded as if it wouldn’t be far away from this.

When he was young, there was enough low cost housing and enough social support, that it was unlikely that he would have been homeless. Now, we have many people homeless in Auckland, and one of the problems is that they have difficulty accessing financial support, as they have no address, and usually no formal identification which traps them in the homeless spiral.

On my way back someone was sitting beside him and talking with him. The street provides his social network.