Tag: James Shearer
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Memories of Thanksgiving on the Street
I enjoyed this past Thanksgiving, probably more than I’ve enjoyed Thanksgiving in quite some time. I got to spend a nice, quiet holiday in my adopted hometown with friends. It was quiet, and I caught up on a lot of sleep and watched movies. I wish I could say that nothing bothered me at all, […]
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When Will We Wake Up?
Until now, I haven’t had much to say about the recent tragedies in Minnesota, Louisiana, Dallas or Orlando. Or should I say murders? After all, that’s what they were. Let’s not beat around the bush here: tragedy is someone being killed in a car accident or a natural disaster. These incidents were cold-blooded murder. Someone […]
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See What I See
The morning after the night I spent on the streets, I found myself walking into Downtown Crossing in Boston. It was about 5 a.m. I grabbed a cup of coffee at the 7-Eleven and started walking toward the train station. I was walking by Millennium Tower and I suddenly wished I had a camera. I […]
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Homeless Again?
Yes, you read that title right. I know, I can’t believe it either, but due to circumstances way beyond my pay grade, it’s a distinct possibility. Reasons? Well, let’s just say the system sucks like that, though my current living situation isn’t exactly ideal. I have a roof over my head, I’m safe, warm, dry […]
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Another Year
This month, Spare Change News turns 24 years old. It’s hard to believe. I’m not going to get into how we got started. That’s a story for another day. But I will say that I’m surprised we’re still here, and even more surprised at where I am now compared to where I was then. Before […]
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RE-RESOLUTION
There’s a line in an old Billy Joel song that says, “you’re only human,” and, boy, are there days when I wish I wasn’t. If you’ve not noticed yet, boys and girls, my column wasn’t in the paper for the last couple of issues. The reason, you ask? I’ve been ill and was recently hospitalized […]
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VOICES FROM THE STREETS: That Immigration Thing
I haven’t said much about the immigration debate, though I’ve been following it since it began. I sometimes tend to stay out of political arguments because they can be divisive. People on either side of the debate want you to pick a side. There’s really not much room for a middle ground. No matter what […]
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VOICES FROM THE STREETS: It's about homelessness, stupid
A little over a couple of weeks ago, a homeless man who was sleeping in a subway station in South Boston was beaten and urinated on by two brothers who were drunk and returning from a Red Sox game. When they were caught by the police, one of the brothers made a remark that Donald […]
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VOICES FROM THE STREETS: These lives matter, too
On the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown being gunned down in Ferguson, a friend asked me if I was going to the protest in Harvard Square. I somewhat reluctantly said no. When asked why, I didn’t want to get into it. I simply said I was tired and really needed to go home. I just […]
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VOICES FROM THE STREET: Celebrating what exactly?
By the time you read this, the Fourth of July will have already passed and we will all be bracing for those dreary dog days of summer. I will do the usual on the fourth: cookouts, partying, blah, blah, blah. It all seems so routine. Going through the motions because we’re taught that we should […]