CHRIS

prized possession : blankets

 

Sitting alone, under a tree and removed from other park patrons, Chris is a 30 year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah. Smiling, kind, and approachable, Chris explains, “I’ve been in Denver for two months. The marijuana law brought me out here. I went to Oren (Utah), and panhandled for a ticket two weeks after the election,” he grins. “The economy is worse in Denver. But it’s very liberal.” Down to earth, Chris shares his path to homelessness. “I’ve been homeless off and on for ten years. Bad budgeting, laziness, and I’m kind of a minimalist too.” He adds, “My family is all gone too. I have a brother in Nebraska somewhere. I’m mostly alone.” He’s carved his own techniques for surviving on the streets. “I have years of experience. I stay to myself mostly. You get more drama with crowds,” he divulges. At the same time, he admits, “I really want a job and rent. I’d sacrifice the weed. I don’t live to work, I work to live. I’m just a little bit lazier than most people. I just want an apartment though.” Seemingly relaxed about this wish, he recognizes that homelessness has become a force in his life, and something he continues to foresee in his future, although he’d enjoy a reprieve. “I see myself being old and homeless, but this decade would be nice to have a place.” 

 

Prized Possession: In the meantime, Chris’ blankets keep him warm, comfortable, and sheltered. They are his most prized possessions. “The blankets. It’s a love-hate thing,” he explains, “Carrying them sucks. If I’m freezing in the night though, I go crazy. I have these two, and another sleeping bag that zips, and I stay warm.”