The Story of Rafael

Steven: “Hi, I’m Steven. What’s your name?”
Rafael: “Rafael.”

Steven: “Nice to meet you, Rafael. We’re here in Brooklyn, right?”
Rafael: “Yeah, right near Fort Hamilton. Been my home base for a while now. The neighborhood is really familiar to me.”

Steven: “You must really know your way around here then…how long have you been homeless?”
Rafael: “About six years. I used to move around, but this city stuck with me. Something about it feels nostalgic, even though it’s been tough.”

Steven: “Six years is a long time. How did it start for you?”
Rafael: “I used to be a chef, believe it or not. Worked at this fancy Italian restaurant downtown and I absolutely loved it. From a young age, cooking was my passion and it was practically my life now, but I had a motorcycle accident. Here… you see this scar on my leg? It broke in three places, and I couldn’t stand for hours like I used to. I actually can’t even stand at all, so I lost the job, and I couldn’t pay the bills, and everything just poof…disappeared after that.”

Steven: “Wow, I’m so sorry. That must’ve been devastating. Is the leg injury permanent?”
Rafael: “I think so. The doctor told me that I can’t walk properly anymore so I just hobble around now. The sad thing is that… I didn’t just lose my job, but my entire life just went downhill from there. Like I said before, cooking was how I expressed myself and without it, I don’t know what I’m going to do, and clearly, you can see how that turned out with me here in the streets.”

Steven: “Have you tried getting back into the kitchen, maybe in a different way?”
Rafael: “I’ve thought about it, but after the accident, I also developed this nerve pain in my leg. Some days, I can barely hobble. Most restaurants don’t want to hire someone who can’t pull long shifts and I can’t even handle short shifts. I can’t even be a waiter because I’ll probably fling the food or something. I gotta say though, it’s a tough industry, even when you’re at your best.”

Steven: “Do you miss it?”
Rafael: “Every single day. Sometimes, I’ll pick up scraps of ingredients people throw out and make little meals for the other folks out here. It’s not much, but it reminds me of who I was. Also many people out here really appreciate my cooking. It’s one of the reasons why I keep going. “

Steven: “That’s incredible, Rafael. You’re still using your talent to help others.”
Rafael: “I guess so. Thanks man, you’re really nice”

Steven: “You’re a nice person too and I can’t cook that well so it means a lot when someone can cook. It always impresses me… what’s the hardest part of being out here?”
Rafael: “Definitely the unpredictability. You never know what’s coming next. One day, someone might hand you a hot meal, and the next, you’re getting chased off a corner by the cops. The other week, someone handed me a 20 dollar bill and I used that to buy fresh ingredients to cook for others, but often people will just ignore me.”

Steven: “That awesome. We really need to see more of those positivity, especially when tearing down the stigma surrounding the homeless because there are many individuals like you who wants to contribute to society, but they can’t…do you have any friends out here?”
Rafael: “A few. There’s this one guy, Eddie, who I met a couple of years ago. He’s got this old guitar, and he plays blues on the sidewalk. We’ve got a little deal going on…he plays, I cook if we can scrounge up some ingredients. People like to stop and listen, and sometimes they toss us enough for a sandwich or two.”

Steven: “That sounds like a special bond.”
Rafael: “Yeah, Eddie’s a good guy. He’s been through his own stuff, but we look out for each other. Out here, that means everything.”

Steven: “What’s one thing about your life that might surprise people?”
Rafael: “I used to write poetry. Still do sometimes, when I can find a quiet moment. It’s funny because most people wouldn’t think a chef and a poet go hand in hand, but for me, they’re the same. Both are about creating something from nothing.”

Steven: “That’s beautiful. Do you remember any of your poems?”
Rafael: “It’s been a while, so no, but people often told me that I should go study English. Isn’t that crazy? My teachers and classmates would always tell me that, and honestly I don’t even know why I stopped writing poetry.”

Steven: “That’s amazing, Rafael. You’ve got real talent so maybe try to write some poems. I’m sure everyone would enjoy it.”
Rafael: “Thanks. It can be a way to keep my mind busy, especially out here.”

Steven: “Maybe you can even get your work published.”
Rafael: “I have considered it, but it feels like a far-off dream. Who wants to read a homeless guy’s poems? People already look past me every day.”

Steven: “I think people would love to hear your poems. You can turn your life stories into poems… and you’ll have so much to share. If you want, you can send me your poems and I’ll help you find places where they want to publish your work!””
Rafael: “Maybe. But right now, I’m just focused on surviving.”

Steven: “How do you get by day to day?”
Rafael: “I do a bit of panhandling, but I also pick up odd jobs when I can. A guy at the market lets me unload crates sometimes. It’s not steady, but it’s something with a few dollars on the side.”

Steven: “That’s good to hear…have you ever struggled with addiction?”
Rafael: “No, not really. I’ve had drinks here and there, but I’ve been lucky to stay away from the hard stuff. The only thing that I do occasionally have is cigarettes. I know they’re bad, but they help with the stress.”

Steven: “Is there anything else that keeps you going?”
Rafael: “The hope that one day, I’ll get back to cooking. Even if it’s just in a small diner or food truck. That’s my dream…a food truck. Something simple, where I can make people smile with good food.”

Steven: “That’s amazing! Speaking of hope, if you had three wishes, what would they be?”
Rafael: “First, I’d wish for my health back. This leg pain has held me back for too long. Second, I’d wish for my food truck like I said before. Just a little kitchen on wheels where I could start over. That sounded funny… a kitchen on wheels….and my final wish would be for people to see us, the homeless, as people who aren’t a lost cause because we’re not.”

Steven: “Those are powerful wishes, and that last one is the truth. Rafael, thank you for sharing your story. You’ve got so much strength and creativity, and yes, everyone has a story and that’s why I’m out here trying to share it.”
Rafael: “Thanks, man. It means a lot to be heard. Sometimes, that’s all we really need.