Joe

Joe is 62 years old and has lived on the streets of Salem for the past 10 months.  First he lost his job as a bartender, then he lost his apartment because he could no longer pay the rent.  Joe has worked his entire life and receives $128 per month from the Teamster's Union.  "I'm trying to apply for some other benefits, but since I don't read or write, it's hard to make sense of the forms," he told me.  I replied that it's pretty hard even if you do read and write and Joe broke into a great big belly laugh.  

Originally from California, Joe tried to move back there to live with his sister, but said he missed Salem.  "This is my town," he said.  "I really want to make things work here."  Joe talked about his struggles with asthma that he developed after years of bartending in smoked filled establishments. The longer we talked, the more Joe's face softened.  I saw something familiar in his eyes, a glimpse of my own father, perhaps. A glimpse of humanity. We lingered for a moment after our conversation, quiet, looking down, like awkward new friends not sure what to do next. Promising we'd keep an eye out for one another, I turned to leave.  Joe called out, "Thank you for stopping."  And thank you, Joe, I nodded back.