Otis and Dave I met Dave shortly before midnight this past Tuesday. It was a Jack the Ripper foggy night, and I was on the Ravenel Bridge looking for images. He was pushing his bicycle up the steep incline, and I managed to snap an image of him. He was wearing a ski hat and poncho, (which turned out to be a blanket with a hole cut in the middle) and carried a messenger bag over his shoulder. He seemed to be a very amiable and articulate fellow, and as we chatted I discovered that he had become homeless in November, just before that bitterly cold and wet week. Funny thing, he had a really upbeat attitude. He was about to push on when I asked him if I might try to take his picture. I was thinking about the recent National Geographic assignment on Hunger and Hope in America... He said sure, and propped his bike against the railing. And then he opened his satchel. From beneath a matching piece of blanket, a small dog warily popped his head out for a look around. Meet Otis - Daves partner. The light was crappy and I had no real flash; the photos sucked.. We talked for a few more minutes, Dave wanted to push up to the landing so he could let Otis out for a short break. I gave him my card, asked him to stay in touch, and said goodbye. I made a few images, noticed that the time was drawing closer to lights out, and pushed on up the bridge. Through the mist I could make out Daves bike, and then I saw him lying on the ground, gazing up at the ballet that of light and fog swirling around. Otis was snuggled in his arms... He got up to smoke a cigarette and we talked some more as Otis wandered the deck. Dave has been in construction since high school, hails from Pennsylvania, and is a recreational artist. He pulled out his phone to show me some of his work... If it is really his (and I have no reason to doubt him), hes pretty talented. Its hard to express how excited he was as he shared the thought process behind several pieces. We are only shortly removed from the most recent housing disaster. Dave said he fell behind on his rent, and eventually lost his place. Hes not giving up Otis, though he says others have told him to, and I think that limits his ability to find a place to stay at night... I never asked if he was currently employed. He never asked me for a dime. It was then that I spotted Otis, curled back up in his travel bag. There, I thought, is a great image of homelessness and hope. As we talked, I realized how fortunate I am to have a job, and how close to their predicament I am... Right now were in a warm spell, but Winter is coming. Hopefully we wont see the brutal cold and ice storms we had earlier this year... and Dave and Otis will find something to put them back on their feet and into housing. Homelessness is one of those social conditions that touches all of us, and yet in our Southern way we choose not to discuss. When all else is said and done, you have to admire the bond between them. -CWH
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:42:40 +0000
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