It’s about 2:30 in the afternoon. In the distance a young man is walking towards me with a big smile on his face. At first glance, it wouldn’t have been noticeable that this bright-eyed, wide smiling kid was living on the street. What gave it away was his tousled hair that probably hadn’t been washed in weeks, and the fact that he kept bending down to pick up half-smoked cigarettes to light up.
Such was the beginning of my journey with Steven Floyd. The 28-year-old Oceanside native has been happily choosing to live a homeless life on Haight Street for the past three months.
As soon as he sees me he dives into a long story about his mushroom tripping from the night before.
After grabbing some coffee at The People’s Café, local hangout of both young and old homeless people on Haight Street, we begin our stroll through of San Francisco’s drug Mecca.
Along the way, Steven points out to me where he spends most of his time. In front of cafés, relaxing on Hippie Hill, or getting free food from a small place on Haight Street that hands out free microwaveable meals to anyone who wants one.
We find a bench and I begin to ask him about his life. He happily chooses this life, saying it’s the most rewarding thing he’s ever done.
“There’s good days and bad days,” says Floyd. “But then again, doesn’t everyone have good days and bad days?”
A cop walks past us and I notice a slight sneer on Floyd’s face. I question him if he has something against all cops, and he replies no, just certain ones.
“Some cops never hassle you. They can actually be very nice,” explains Floyd. “But there are a certain few who will give you tickets for the most ridiculous things.”
A few days prior, when we first met, Floyd had just been given a ticket for loitering.
“The cop asked me what I was doing, and I told him I was just sitting,” said Floyd. “Then he just wrote me a ticket.”
We finish our coffee and exchange a few words before parting. By this time the sun has nearly set on Haight Street, but the street is far from empty. Steven Floyd, my new homeless friend, has wandered away to find a freeway overpass to sleep under.
I too have written about those who choose to be homeless. It is kind of romantic but not very healthy. What's he do with those tickets and what did you learn about that drug Mecca?! Might be interesting to talk to that cop! Thanks for this posting.
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