MAX ON HOMELESS SPACE

BREAKING & ENTERING

When we see homeless people we often see them on the same plot of land that we always do. It’s a spot that is either secluded so that they can hide from the world or it’s spot right in the middle of the hustle and bustle where we can see them. These places that they happen to live on become their homes, so if we are constantly walking by them, are we breaking and entering?

I’m so always considering what the other person feels and when it comes to homeless people and their space, sometimes I just feel bad. It’s bad enough being homeless as it is, but being homeless in New York City must be horrible. There is no place to hide, no privacy. There is this one guy who lives in the entry to the subway on 86th and Lexington and I see him every day. And every SINGLE day, I see people staring at him and I just wonder, “What the hell are those people thinking about?” then I wonder, “What is this poor man thinking?”

Even though at times we feel like homeless people invade our space, have we ever thought about how it’s possible that we could invade theirs? Sure, we could be walking along, busy yelling on our blackberry’s about god knows what and feel alienated when a hand pops out asking for change. But what about that guy who is asking for change? For some reason, life has thrown him curves that have led him to this point, sitting on a box begging for pennies that people won’t even give. His 4 by 4 box, his home, that we’re constantly running by and not even respecting because we feel like he made decisions that got him to this point. We are always looking out the windows of our apartments or houses or cars envisioning something, like a better life. Where as our homeless friend sits on his box, constantly looking up at the windows above wishing he was there. And when he asks for some spare change that we have, we close our windows to our souls and keep him from breaking and entering.

[Originally from LA, Max E Kestenbaum now lives, studies, writes and clubs in New York City]