I was outside a Verizon store in Downtown DC when a man with a book bag approached me. Normally, I would offer to help whoever it was, but that day was an especially stressful one so I had planned to just ignore him, then he said something that caught my attention. “You have a beautiful smile” he says, expecting me not to answer back. “Thank you so much,” I replied, with a smile on my face. The man proceeds to tell me that he has a job interview tomorrow but can’t afford to buy nice pants for his interview because he hasn’t made enough money for the day. “Can you help me?” he asks. Before I could open my mouth a Verizon worker peeked out of the door and gestured to me to come back inside to finish what I had started. “Wait for me,” I tell him. “I’ll be right back, I’m gonna help you.” To my surprise, 30 minutes later I find him at the same spot where I had left him. And to keep my promise I took him to the CVS next door, bought him whatever he asked for and gave him the money he needed for the pants. This is his story.
Me: We can start with your name.
Brian : Brian. B r i a n, Raw. Last name, Raw, R a w.
Me: Okay Brian, where are you from?
Brian: Well, I’m from Suitland, Maryland. In a room in house.
Me: Ok, so what brings you to DC?
Brian: Well, I’m a panhandler.
Me: Ok.
Brian: And I’m homeless. So I come down here to DC to make my living.
Me: Okay, so what happened in your life that caused you to be in this situation?
Brian: Uh, well I had a job for 17 years.
Me: Ok.
Brian: That didn’t go well.
Me: Where did you work?
Brian: Government. I had a government job. (inaudible) So I drew my unemployment for two years. I looked for work. Couldn’t find work, so I lost my car, lost my insurance, lost my apartment. So I went in the shelter for two months. Didn’t like it from day 1.
Me: What was wrong with it?
Brian: They took my birth certificate and social security card while I was sleeping.
Me: Did they ever give it back?
Brian: No. I had to go back there and get it 8 weeks, it took me 8 weeks to get it back. Applied for the stimulus as a non filer. Didn’t get the first one. Didn’t get the second one. Didn’t get the third one. Somebody is using my name and credit. That’s a big issue. In my life.
Me: Ok.
Brian: I wanna move on with my life, but I need my identity.
Me: Right.
(chuckles)
Me: So, so what’s your plan?
Brian: Well, to get off the street. To feed the children all over the world. My goal is to feed the children. To give back to who gave to me. I love giving back.
Me: Me too.
Brian: I love giving to those who helped me.
Me: Me too.
Brian: That’s my goal, to get off the street and uh, go back to work.
Me: Okay, you said you have a job lined up right?
Brian: Yeah.
Me: So tell me about the job.
Brian: So it’s uh janitorial, it’s sweeping floors, machine operator, janitor field.
Me: Right.
Brian: Sweeping floors, waxing floors, all type of floors. Tile, wax, floors period.
Me: So what are you gonna do with the money that you get from this job?
Brian: Imma try to survive with it. Imma buy me some clothes.
Me: Ok.
Brian: Uh, toiletries, uh save me some money up so I can get me a carpet. Well that’s my first step; is to get off the street.
Me: Have you heard of cash assistance and snap?
Brian: Excuse me?
Me: Have you heard of cash assistance and snap?
Brian: I heard about all the resources. I know about all the resources, but they slow. So that’s why I come out here and panhandle. I get my money quicker, I get my money quicker than the services do. you know. They’ll help you, but on their terms.
Me: Okay, yeah.
Brian: You know, I’m out here in the streets. I’m going in bathrooms, taking off all my clothes. Washing up. That’s serious. That’s homeless. Anytime you go in the bathroom 7 days a week, and wash up, that’s homeless. And I was doing that.
Me: Do you have any kids Brian?
Brian: Huh?
Me: Do you have any kids ?
Brian: Friends?
Me: Do you have any kids?
Brian: Yeah, I got a son come out of Eastern Shore College.
Me: Okay, where does he go?
Brian: Uh, he got a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, but he with his girlfriend.
Me: Do they live near?
Brian: He helped me too much, he don’t help me no more. He done helped me too much, I don’t need his help no more. So he living his life, as long as he knows I’m alright and he’s alright I’m good.
Me: Do you have a wife?
Brian: Huh?
Me: Do you have a wife?
Brian: Do I have a wife? No, I’m single. Single, single, single. Single and ready to mingle. Haha.
Me: So what’re you gonna do after you leave here today?
Brian: Excuse me?
Me: I said, what’re you gonna do after you leave here today?
Brian: After I leave here? Well I’m tryna find me somewhere to wash up; I’m tryna go talk to my roommate, I’m gonna work and get my uniform first. And then I’m gonna go see about talking to my roommate, because I need more money. I gotta stand out here and get more money, because I got a room in house in Suitland, Maryland, that’s $80 for one week, and I don’t have no money for that. So I got you helped me out a little bit. So I still need to lay down, I still need to take a shower. You know I still need to rest my head. You know. So money, I’m not making no money right now, but I keep my faith in Allah.
Me: Oh so you’re Muslim?
Brian: Allah.
Me: You’re Muslim?
Brian: Huh?
Me: You’re a Muslim?
Brian: No, I call him god, same as Jesus. I’m not Baptist. I ain’t really into none of that stuff, I just speak it, say it out of my mouth, just talk. But anyways, I keep my faith in god. He keeps me motivated, he keeps me going.
Me: Ok.
Brian: He keeps me clean.
Me: Yeah.
Me: So you said you’re clean?
Brian: Clean. I love being clean.
Me: That’s good, that’s good.
Brian: If the waters hot, if I can find uh hot water, Imma go get it.
Me: Like clean, like as in clean from drugs.
Brian: Huh?
Me: Like as in clean from drugs.
Brian: Yeah, I’m clean, I don’t drink or smoke.
Me: Oh, okay, that’s good, that’s good.
Brian: But I do entertain, I do go to the park, I work out, I do push-ups, I do jump benches.
Me: Ok.
Brian: So I entertain myself everyday, I give myself at least 15–16 minutes everyday and I work out.
Me: Thank you so much for your time Brian.
Brian: You’re welcome.
Me: I wish you the best in everything.
Brian: Thank you so much for your smile, thank you so much for your help.
Me: Yeah, no problem.
Brian: You made my day.
Me: I’m glad, I’m glad.
Brian: You know what imma do now is go stand out here try and make some money, go back to my room tonight so I can take off all my clothes and take me a bath and take me a shower.
Me: Alright.
Brian: And prepare myself for tomorrow.
Me: So your job interview is tomorrow?
Brian: You got me halfway there.
Me: It’s tomorrow? The interview.
Brian: 10 o’clock.
Me: Alright, okay well I wish you the best.
Brian: I know you can’t do no more. Haha.
Me: Alright, well I wish you the best, I really hope that you get the happiness that you’re looking for.
Brian: Yes ma’am.
Me: And you get a place to stay and someone to share your life with.
Brian: I wanna thank you for the documentary, and I hope you hold onto it , I hope you cherish it and get some money off it. I hope it carries you a long long way so you can get some money off it. I hope you get the interest off it.
Me: Haha, maybe, maybe. But thank you so much Brian.
The full interview is can be found under IGTV. @otnumek.
