The Story of Jamal

Steven: “Hi, I’m Steven. What’s your name?”
Jamal: “Jamal. Good to meet you.”

Steven: “Good to meet you too, Jamal. We’re in Syracuse, right?”
Jamal: “Yeah, right on South Salina Street. Been here for about a year now but before that, I was in Rochester.”

Steven: “Oh, that interesting! What was Rochester like?”
Jamal: “Rochester was amazing… that was when I still had a home but the buildings are really dope. There’s amazing foods and festival and it was just amazing…”

Steven: “That does sound really nice… do you mind telling us how long have you been homeless for?”
Jamal: “Seven years, but it didn’t start like this. I had a place, a job, the whole thing. I worked as a mechanic, and even had my own little shop down by 63rd. Then my brother got locked up, and I started taking care of his kids. Everything I had went into keeping them afloat. When their mom took them back, there wasn’t much left for me. I was barely holding on, and then the shop went under because another mechanic store opened up right across from me and it’s much bigger and has a lot more resources than I did. I couldn’t compete so after that, it was just closed it down and now I’m here.”

Steven: “That’s a lot to take on and I’m sorry to hear that you’ve worked so hard for your brother’s kids and the unfortunate events that followed…do you still see your brother’s kids?”
Jamal: “Not really. Their mom moved them out of state, and my brother’s still locked up. I think about them a lot, though. They were like my own kids for a while, you know? That’s why I put so much effort and money into making them happy.”

Steven: “That’s a lot to take on and I’m sorry to hear that you’ve worked so hard for your brother’s kids and the unfortunate events that followed…do you still see your brother’s kids?”
Jamal: “Not really. Their mom moved them out of state, and my brother’s still locked up. I think about them a lot, though. They were like my own kids for a while, you know? That’s why I put so much effort and money into making them happy.”

Steven: “I see what you mean, and I truly feel terrible about it, but maybe once your brother is out of prison, you could ask to meet with the kids…
Jamal: “Yeah, he’s gonna be out in 2 more years, so I’ll just hang out until then. I have visited him a few times every month, and he seems to be doing well… reformed from drugs and all that, so that’s a cool update.”

Steven: “That’s amazing! Glad to hear it…is there anything you want people to know about you?”
Jamal: “That I’ve always worked hard. Even now, I hustle when I can. I can fix cars, clean up lots, whatever people need. I didn’t end up here because I gave up. Life just threw more at me than I could handle, and trust me, I tried to handle it.”

Steven: “After hearing your story, I can definetely see that you’ve tried your best and it’s honestly really inspirational…as for your situation, have you ever stayed in shelters?”
Jamal: “I’ve tried, but they’re not for me. Too many rules, too many people packed into one space. And some of those spaces are more dangerous than the streets. I’d rather take my chances out here, where I can choose who’s around me.”

Steven: “What do you mean more dangerous?”
Jamal: “There’s so much fighting that can occur and police will be called to the shelter and they don’t treat us nicely. They’re aggressive and one time, they used pepper spray on someone else and it got all over me. Man, pepper spray sucks.”

Steven: “That’s absurd to think about because shelters are meant for people to feel safe, yet things like these are happening… we really need to put more effort into our shelters…how do you spend your days?”
Jamal: “Mostly working on bikes and cars. There’s a garage nearby that lets me tinker in exchange for doing odd jobs. I fix up bikes for people in the neighborhood, and sometimes they pay me in food or a few bucks. It’s not much, but it keeps me busy and sane.”

Steven: “I’m glad that there are people willing to help! We honestly need more of that. I can tell that you have a passion for fixing things, so where did it all start?”
Jamal: “Well, my dad was a mechanic, so I grew up watching him. I love just the idea of bringing things back to life, whether it’s an old bike or a beat-up car. There’s something satisfying about making something work again.”

Steven: “Yeah, whenever something breaks and I see it fixed, it always shocks me. Oh right, now that winter is approaching, how do you stay warm during the winter?”
Jamal: “Layers, mostly. And I’ve got this little propane heater I rigged up. It’s nothing fancy, but it does the job. Sometimes I’ll find abandoned buildings to crash in, but you’ve got to be careful with those. One mistake, and you’re dealing with frostbite or worse..”

Steven: “Are the winter here that brutal?”
Jamal: “Syracuse winters are so much worse than Rochester, and I heard that this year’s supposed to be a rough one.”

Steven: “I can feel it getting cold already, so make sure you stay near your propane heater…do you have anyone you trust out here?”
Jamal: “It’s not really a person but there’s this place called Lenny, and it’s not official but it’s a small group of people who find things like blankets, jackets, whatever you need and gives it to you. It’s almost like the MacGyver of the homeless world. Everyone there look out for each other, but trust is hard out here. You’ve got to be careful who you let in.”

Steven: “That’s amazing to hear. I think everyone should have companion and it really helps to get through the tough times, especially when you have someone to speak to..Is there something about your life that would surprise people?”
Jamal: “I like to cook. When I had my place in Rochester, I loved experimenting in the kitchen like trying new recipes, making stuff from scratch. I used to have this big cast-iron skillet that I’d use for everything. Now, I just cook when I can, usually over a fire. It’s not the same, but it’s still something I love.”

Steven: “What do you cook out here?”
Jamal: “Whatever I can get my hands on. I’ve made stew with canned vegetables and chicken from a food pantry. One time, someone gave me a box of pasta, and I made spaghetti over a campfire. It’s not gourmet, but everyone at Lenny enjoyed it, so it must’ve been somewhat tasty.”

Steven: “I’m sure it was tasty, but it’s not just the taste that matters… I’m sure everyone at Lenny appreciates you for cooking for them…now, if you had three wishes, what would they be?”
Jamal: “First, I’d wish for a home but not just for me, but for everyone out here if that can be considered one wish. Second, I’d wish for my mechanic shop, the one I was telling you about. And my last wish is forgiveness. For myself. There are things I wish I’d done differently, but at the same time, I don’t really regret it like taking care of my brother’s kids. I want to look forward into the future and think about the positives when my brother gets out and I could hopefully see his kids again.

Steven: “Wow… forgiveness… everyone needs to do that out here because if we need to at least love ourselves. Jamal, thank you for sharing your story, and I wish you the best of luck.”
Jamal: “Yep, no problem.”