PLEASE MEET JERRY :
I met Jerry in the Pioneer Square neighborhood on a clear cold winter day. He has been homeless for 10 years of his life and he is 49 years old. He told me that right now he is just using everything in his power to survive this cold weather while he tries to raise money for a bus ticket to get back to California where it's warm and he can be free just wearing shorts.
He talked a lot about how much he loves just wearing shorts in the 70 degree weather while smoking his self rolled American Spirits. "It's the simple things."
Jerry is not used to this weather making it much harder for him to be here. He feels that he is almost being held here against his will, that something is stopping him every time he gets close to leaving and he's not sure why.
We talked about finding his purpose to be here in Seattle and staying warm in the meantime. He sleeps in a tent where he never quite gets warm no matter how hard he tries.
I asked him if I could call him "Sailor Jerry" because I felt like he looked like a ships captain. He laughed and said "PLEASE!" We decided that's what he was in another life.
Pioneer Square neighborhood | Dawndra
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