My Story of Being Homeless

by Tammy Hammock

Published: June 22, 2009

I was about twenty-three years old. I lived in West Palm Beach. I had a great job. I bought a next to new car. I owned a condo in a gated community. Then I met a man I fell in love with. He moved in with me. For three years everything was great.

Then I started missing things. At first I thought I misplaced these things. I must have been in denial. Little did I know, he had a dark secret that he managed to keep from me for 3 years. He was an IV drug user.

Then my VCR went missing. I knew then I didn’t just misplace that. So I confronted him! Naturally he denied it. I threw him out. I cried that whole night hoping he would call. He did! So I put him in. I don’t know how many rehabs. He stole my car. He stole my ATM card. I had over $3000 dollars worth of checks bounce.

Either pay that or go to jail. Then I couldn’t make my mortgage payments for four or five months. I fell behind on my car payments. Then fell way behind on my maintenance fees.

My car was the first to get repo’d. Then my condo! I was in suicide mode at this point.

The day came I had to be completely out! So I packed a duffel bag.

I put about a week’s worth of clothes in there. Two knives, a can opener, tinfoil, garbage bags and hygiene stuff.

It was hot and miserable. I had a few hundred dollars with me. I know what you’re thinking! Why didn’t you get a room? Well I figured since all my friends abandoned me, getting a room would just leave me broke and homeless any ways.

I was so consumed with thoughts! I couldn’t think and stay focused. So I walked! Then I thought of a place where we kids use to skip school at. We partied in these woods. So I made my way to my first home.

I haven’t been there since I was in high school, so I really didn’t know what I would find. It didn’t change much and I felt safe. So I found a place to camp out for the night. I hid my supplies. Then I headed to the store. I picked up some beer figuring it would help me relax. Then I bought some chips and cigarettes.

I walked back and was surprised. Some teenagers where back there. I was panicky! I didn’t know what to do because my stuff was back there. So I walked up to where they were. They were surprised but very nice.

They had a fire going, a few coolers and just partying. They saw I had beer so they offered me use of their cooler. We sat around the fire talked drank and listened to the radio.

They asked why I was back there. I told them me and my old man had a fight. I come here all the time.

So when they got ready to leave, they wanted to know what I was going to do. I said I was going to stay for a little while longer. So they left their cooler there with snacks, drinks and beer.

I made a place to sleep by the fire, but didn’t sleep! My mind was too consumed with racing thoughts.

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