What it was like living homeless in New Orleans (camp, taxi)

[Rcsligar]

Several months ago I had an altercation with a family member that led to me to leave the house. I have since returned but I must say that the week or so I spent living homeless in New Orleans was a pretty taxing experience.

While I was there I slept across the street from the greyhound station under a bridge. Luckily when I first arrived I made friends with a few other homeless people that didnt try and jump me. I had my most important belongings with me, needless to say by the end of my excursion all of them were stolen, including my computer. While the people I was staying with under the bridge didn't give me a hard time at first, I was preyed upon by crack heads and heroin addicts. After my first couple nights there I started getting stuff stolen from me while I slept. First went my skateboard, then my bag of clothes, then when I finally up and left because I knew things were going downhill I had my backpack stolen from the greyhound station. Overall a very depressing and bleak experience.

The relationship I had with my homeless friends also went downhill fast. One of them claimed to be a "mafia crip" and instructed me not to wear red. One day him and his girlfriend went into down and their pit bull got off the leash and got hit by a car. Because I had been at the camp site all day the other homeless guy I was staying with blamed me for it and the mafia crip guy and his girlfriend got really pissed off. Long story short I almost had a knife pulled on me that day which was a big deciding factor in getting the hell out of there. While these people were friendly to me at first, things escalated to bad relations quickly when it became clear to them that I wasn't cut out for being homeless. I also noticed that the guy who called me out who had bipolar disorder was getting more and more agitated with me almost to the point of lashing out.

I learned my lesson pretty quick that people will rob you blind and not to trust anyone. I learned my lesson the hard way what's it's like to live in certain areas and how you have to conduct yourself in them. Overall not an experience I would want to repeat again.

[norb123]

I'm sorry that happened to you, but were you expecting a good experience living under a bridge in New Orleans? Living on the street in any city has got to be a pretty miserable experience. I hope I never have to find out.

[Chilly Gentilly]

This thread should be titled "Living Homeless in America"

[sconley9922]

Sounds like a rough experience....

[JanND]

Glad that you got out of that situation without getting physically hurt. Hope things have worked out for you.

[annie_himself]

This sucks.

Sounds like a weekend in the hood.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Rcsligar

Several months ago I had an altercation with a family member that led to me to leave the house. I have since returned but I must say that the week or so I spent living homeless in New Orleans was a pretty taxing experience.

While I was there I slept across the street from the greyhound station under a bridge. Luckily when I first arrived I made friends with a few other homeless people that didnt try and jump me. I had my most important belongings with me, needless to say by the end of my excursion all of them were stolen, including my computer. While the people I was staying with under the bridge didn't give me a hard time at first, I was preyed upon by crack heads and heroin addicts. After my first couple nights there I started getting stuff stolen from me while I slept. First went my skateboard, then my bag of clothes, then when I finally up and left because I knew things were going downhill I had my backpack stolen from the greyhound station. Overall a very depressing and bleak experience.

The relationship I had with my homeless friends also went downhill fast. One of them claimed to be a "mafia crip" and instructed me not to wear red. One day him and his girlfriend went into down and their pit bull got off the leash and got hit by a car. Because I had been at the camp site all day the other homeless guy I was staying with blamed me for it and the mafia crip guy and his girlfriend got really pissed off. Long story short I almost had a knife pulled on me that day which was a big deciding factor in getting the hell out of there. While these people were friendly to me at first, things escalated to bad relations quickly when it became clear to them that I wasn't cut out for being homeless. I also noticed that the guy who called me out who had bipolar disorder was getting more and more agitated with me almost to the point of lashing out.

I learned my lesson pretty quick that people will rob you blind and not to trust anyone. I learned my lesson the hard way what's it's like to live in certain areas and how you have to conduct yourself in them. Overall not an experience I would want to repeat again.

I think a lot of modern day Americans could learn a few things from an experience like this.

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

I think a lot of modern day Americans could learn a few things from an experience like this.

Absolutely

[waitingtundra]

Back in the early 80's hitchhiked from New Orleans to Long Beach California with the clothes on my back. Worked a few jobs, drove back in a 1970 Mercury Cougar w/a 351 Cleveland in it. The thang was smoking fast, till I misjudged the Camp street exit ramp.

[norb123]

Originally Posted by waitingtundra

Back in the early 80's hitchhiked from New Orleans to Long Beach California with the clothes on my back. Worked a few jobs, drove back in a 1970 Mercury Cougar w/a 351 Cleveland in it. The thang was smoking fast, till I misjudged the Camp street exit ramp.

Exactly. Everyone has the stories from their youth. As bad as this seems, it will be one of the stories for your grandkids one day. The best memories come from the scary situations in your youth. I would share mine, but it would take too long.