Corey Watson Blog Local Storytellers Part 2

Friday Night I walked downtown in hopes to continue my storytellers project. It was cool, almost cold. Walking down Old Magnolia Ave. I saw several people on the sidewalk bundled up in sleeping bags that were asleep on the sidewalk. All of their belongings in trash bags next to them. Some using the bags as a pillow. A passer by stopped to look into some of the sleeping peoples bags taking extra caution not to wake them. He seemed to be scavenging for whatever he could find. I'll admit, walking around like this at night is a little unnerving. You never know what to expect. I just try to keep a positive attitude and smile. It helps that I am genuinely sincere. I want to listen and to hear the people's story. I don't carry much on me other than my camera. So, I don't have much to give or offer other than a bent ear. After observing the scavenger for a few minutes I continued my walk heading toward the bus station where I met Mike.I saw Mike, gave him a nod and said hello. We passed by and he then came back and approached me. He said he was trying to get back home. He was holding a western union money transfer slip in his hand. He said his mother had just wired him all the money she had to help him get a bus fare home. Mike said he had been a patient at the VA hospital for the past 72 days. He was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. I kept walking. The streets were silent. There were very few people outside. I passed maybe one or two people on the other side of the street. I was about to head to my car when I saw a woman struggling with a cart about a block away. It looked like it was stuck. I crossed the street to see if I could help. This is where I met Mary.It looked like Mary was struggling with her cart. I approached her, introduced myself, and I asked if I could help. Mary was eating a cold chicken leg out of a styrofoam takeout box. She was a little apprehensive towards me. I think my talking to her made her a little anxious. She was rocking back and forth, talking fast, and difficult to understand. I decided to sit down on the curb and she sat next to me and started to relax. She said she was okay, but she was concerned about where to go. She said she has been staying under the bridge for a long time, but the past few weeks the local police have been saying no one can stay there anymore. "No barrells, no sleeping, no standing around." I asked Mary how old she was. 56. She said she has been here for almost 30 years. Mary said she and her friends under the bridge were not prepared for the cold weather that recently passed through Knoxville. Many people did not have the right clothes or shoes to combat half a foot of snow. She showed me her shoes. They were slip on crocs. Definitely not a winter shoe. She looked at me very sincere and said, "I just wanted some shoes. My feet were so cold and they were hurting." Mary had a medical issue with her ankle. It was swollen and she said walking was difficult. Then, almost out of nowhere Mary said she would like to get back home to Atlanta. She looked at me, started crying, and with a tear rolling down her cheek said, "I really want to get home. I really just want to go back home. I have a daughter you know. She lives in Atlanta and I miss her. I've made some bad decisions, but I'm ready to go home." My heart melted for her. I asked Mary if I could take her picture. She reluctantly agreed, but would not look into the camera. I gave Mary a hug. Thanked her for sharing her story. She thanked me for stopping to talk with her and gave me another hug. "I really want to get home. I really just want to go back home. I have a daughter you know. She lives in Atlanta and I miss her. I've made some bad decisions, but I'm ready to go home."