PLEASE MEET ALEX :
I pulled up in the Pioneer Square neighborhood and spotted a man pushing all of his belongings in a cart across the street from me. I hopped out of the car and waved and he waved back and yelled "HELLO!"
Alex is a very articulate soft spoken man with an east coast accent. He grew up in New York and told me that his step mother kicked him out of the house at age 12. He has lived on the streets most of his life, most of those years spent on the streets in the five boroughs. He's been here in Seattle just a short time.
He had a job, a wife and twin girls who are now almost 18. I asked him why he prefers the sidewalk over a shelter, he said he likes his freedom and to be left alone. He always sleeps in front of the Pioneer Smoke Shop, the owner is nice and doesn't mind.
When I asked Alex if he was able to keep warm on these cold nights, he said he was freezing and just trying to survive every day. I gave him some hand warmers and he was very grateful. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was not enough, I got a lump in my throat.
"What do you like to do for fun Alex?" "Well, talk to you of course." We had some laughs. Just then at the smoke shop, I noticed the most beautiful dog tied up waiting for his owner inside. I instantly bonded with the dog and remained petting and playing with him. Buddy is a smaller pit bull mix and also lives on the streets. I noticed a man walked by a few times looking at Buddy very closely. I spent a lot of time talking to Buddy's kind owner.
After those two left, Alex said to me "You know you just saved that dog from getting stolen to use the dog for fighting? It was meant to be that you are here now." I asked him how he knew that, and he said "Because I AM the streets."
Alex will be turning 47 on January 26th, and all he really wants to do is go to the movies.
Pioneer Square neighborhood | Dawndra
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