The James Franco of homeless town.

~I used to do a little but a little wasn't doing so a little got more and more.~
Guns-N-Roses ~ Mr .Brownstone

The reasons are vast as to why people end up on the streets: drug addiction, mental illness, financial ruin, broken relationships - pick your poison. My being on Vagabond Lane is simple; I am a moron. Well, let me phrase that a bit more sympathetically. I wanted to be an entrepreneur at all cost or consequence and now I'm facing the music, so to speak.

It was my second day on the street and I was sitting outside Starbuck's when I heard."Hey man, I've never seen you before." I turned around and there stood a young man; I'm guessing he was in his early twenties. He then said. "I'm Stoker, what's your name?" The first thing I noticed about this kid was his uncanny resemblance to my favorite actor; James Franco. I then told him my name and he offered me part of his Subway, which I gladly accepted.

After finishing the BLT, the two of us struck up a conversation. "How long have you been on the streets? Where are you from?" After I asked him a few questions, he looked at me and said, "Look dude, you are going to learn that it's every man for himself when you're on the streets. The fewer questions you ask, the better."

After a few pleasantries, he asked me this. "Do you dance with the devil?" I had a good idea what was he was implying, but I wanted to be sure. "What do you mean dance with the devil?" He looked at me rather strange and said, "You know man, do you ever use heroine?" I told him this, "The hardest drug I have ever used in my life was marijuana and it's been a long time since I used it. I seldom drink nowadays and when I do it's usually a beer. No, that stuff is not for me, I'm just some idiot from Kansas who has no money." After my answer, he gave me an even stranger look than before and said. "Good for you, if you want to get off the streets, be sure to stay away from the devil."

A minute or so goes by and the the kid tells me this, "Dude, I will see you around, I have got to get back to my panhandling so I'll have enough money to dance with the devil later on. The devil becomes very angry if he misses his dances."

My first night in homeless town.

"Hey man, the rent is due. Where's your share?" It was the last day of the month and rent time was here. I have been dreading this moment all week. I had been sick for a couple of weeks and didn't have the money for August rent. It was now time to face reality. "I hate to tell you this, but I don't have it and I'm not sure when I'm going to get it." My roommate is nice enough guy, but it was time for me to face it, money is money and there is no such thing as free rent. "Rob, I hate to tell you this, but I got another guy who wants to rent your room. He's already given me a deposit. You got to go brother. I wish you the best."

I have never been without a roof over my head. I'd slept in my car a time or two, but with no where to stay and no where to turn, this was a first. I packed up my stuff, which wasn't much, and called a friend of mine to see if he could store it for me. He agreed, and an hour later he came over and I loaded it in his car. "Where are you going to stay?" The truth of the matter is I didn't know. "I don't know buddy, I'll probably find a nice piece of cardboard, a shady tree and set-up residence somewhere on the block." My friend knew that I was in trouble and told me that he would help if he could. I appreciated his gesture, but he doesn't owe me anything, as a matter of fact no one owes me a thing. I put myself in this jam and it's my responsibility to get myself out of it. I kept a backpack with some clothes and toiletries.

Life was now my guide. After wandering aimlessly for a few hours I found acceptable shelter, albeit, it was a shady tree at a local park. To my chagrin, the park closed at nine. Well, as I'm walking down the road wondering where to lie my head next, I saw a trailer parked at a local business. The trailer sat back from the road a bit and it seemed to provide adequate shelter from mother nature. I made my way behind the trailer and realized I was not alone. There laid another vagabond sleeping on his king size cardboard. While I was living in my apartment, I'd seen this guy around the neighborhood a few times and even knew his name. "Joe, do you mine if I sleep here?" Vagabonds tend to be territorial. So I wanted his approval before I called it a night. He answered me with an air of discern. "I don't care man. Just stay on that side of the trailer and leave me alone."

I took my shoes off and laid down on my cardboard. As I'm lying there looking at the partially starry Vegas night; my life has begun anew.