My Writing Speaks For Myself. By Sam Woodlock.

My Writing Speaks For Myself.
By Sam Woodlock.
Edited By Uncle Monty.
Graphics + Photos

By Alex Albion.
-
:: Drawing Conclusions ::

-
The best part of my day is when I close my
living room curtains. I have been housed for a few

years now, but the novelty of pulling the curtains
and shutting out the world has never really worn off.
-
When I was sleeping rough, I used to wander around
in the early evening killing time. I used to look through

windows and see people watching TV, eating meals,
enjoying family life – a whole world I was no longer

part of. It made me remember a time before I was

homeless, when, I, too, took for granted that I would

always have a TV to watch, the luxury of a made-up

bed, the bedroom lit by the soft glow
of a bedside lamp.
-
I used to walk the streets, watching people draw the

curtains, people who were oblivious to a whole world

of other people making cardboard beds on freezing

cold pavements. I didn’t blame them, because be-

fore I became homeless it was not something I
had ever thought about either.
-

But now that I am housed, every time I pull my

curtains, I am reminded of those left outside, the

ones who were not as lucky as me. What I have

experienced has taught me that homelessness

is just the other side of my front door.
-
So maybe tonight, when you are drawing your

curtains after dinner, you could offer up a little

prayer for the ones sleeping out tonight.

It’s something I always do.
Sam Woodlock ©2008.

-
:: Freedom ::
-
You do not need to tell me
To go away
That my presence
Is no longer required
Because I have already gone
Not phyiscally, I’m still here
But like a hot air balloon
My spirit soars free
Like the clouds drifting
So you do not need to tell me
I can go away
I can no longer hear you
Sam Woodlock ©2009
.

Sam's Hubby Tom ...

:: The Ladder of Life ::
-
(I) am now housed, but spent around 18
months sleeping rough with my husband

(Tom). Recently, I was thinking about all

the help we have received and our long

journey from a doorway in Holborn to

the nice council flat we have now.
-
What struck me was that each move we

made was a step up in the world, albeit

in an unconventional way.
-
We started off sleeping in a doorway in Holborn,
with no blankets. Our feet stuck out of the coat

we covered ourselves with, and on the two nights

it rained we got soaked. After a week, we man-

aged to get a duvet and blankets ... The next

few nights in the doorway felt like a hotel!
-
A few days later, some other people told us about

Charing Cross subway. Now that was heaven –
we were warm and dry.
-
A few weeks after that, we were all moved on
from Charing Cross. We then found ourselves
sleeping in a toilet at a railway station. This

was a definite move up – now we had

ensuite accommodation!
-
A few days later, we were discovered by station

staff, but were left speechless by their kindness.

They allowed us to stay in a disused storeroom,

and we were there for six months. A home of our

own, we had a heater, a sink, and somewhere to

leave our things. We could only sleep there
between 1am and 5.30am so that day staff

wouldn’t find out – but it was bliss.
-
Our next move was to a caravan, and here we

even had a TV. Then (TBI) found us a bedsit

and we thought things couldn’t get any better,

but then we moved (finally) into our lovely flat.
-
It’s funny, but looking back, I wouldn’t want to

live in any of those places now, but at the time

each move was like a gift from the gods.

.
(Edited By Uncle Monty)
Sam Woodlock © 2009
.
Sam Woodlock

Mother of one Sam Woodlock is a Big Issue

distributor at London’s famed Covent Garden.

She has been with The Big Issue for 12 years.

Her writing herein first appeared in various

weekly editions of The Big Issue. Such then

are selectively reprinted here online by
permission of the author herself.
...

"From Nasty Scotsman To Nice Jews."

By Uncle Monty.

Photos By Alex Albion.

.
It was a case of the rally catching up with me and

not me catching up with the rally! I may, if I have

any spare time before my upcoming holiday, add

a few more photos about the Free Palestine and

anti-Israel rally that converged Saturday after-

noon at Trafalgar Square from their march via

London's Kingsway, Aldwych, and the Strand.

Photo: Orthodox Jews At Free Palestine Rally.

.

www.inminds.co.uk/palestine-rally-1-17may03.html

...
Ready For Royal Ascot

At Stephen Jones' Hatshop.
...
Ralph & Company. Both Are Pals of Mine!
...

Then in London earlier this year for the England

vs. Scotland Rugby Final, I asked the Scotsmen

(shown below) if they would pose with a copy of The

Big Issue and I was disgusted that the one Scotsman

of the three sneered, "F*** The Big Issue." I told him

he didn't need to be so nasty and then he told me to

"F*** Off," too!! He wasn't drunk, he was just mean

even though he appeared to be so friendly on the

surface as shown in the photo of the 3 kilted Scots.

.

"F*** The Big Issue," Said

The Curt and Kilted Scotsman.

.

So talking of The Big Issue, I also saw its own

staffer Paul Joseph at my pitch on Saturday morn-

ing, where upon he had arrived back from Norway’s

Bergen at where he had spoken on the panel about

street paper distribution at the 2oo9 Conference

of The International Network of Street Papers

(INSP). Along with Paul, was the Big Issue honcho

John Bird himself and TBI Publisher Lisa Woodman.

.
Last year, I attended its 2008 conference at Scotland's

Glasgow. Then TBI's international business rep John

Duffy also attended, but not so at Bergen this year

just like me. I have invited Paul to write some-

thing about the conference should he like to do so.

He said he'd not written anything so far about it.

He also said he'd not taken any photos of the event.

Pity! Always carry a camera with you for you never

know what is around the corner of life that becomes

history the very second after you have photographed

whoever and whatever it is ... I don't know if UK's

TBI won an award at the 2oo9 INSP event, but

Canada's super street paper "Megaphone" at Van-

couver won big time twice at Bergen this year.

Congrats!! www.megaphonemagazine.com/
...

With regards, Uncle Monty.

+Monday Before The Ascension, 2oo9.

..

Following up on my earlier story last year of

the 16 white Spurs football fans that were hunted

down like wanted terrorists by our own Brit police

for their anti-Sol Campbell verbal and racial loud-

mouthing at the football stands that went against

the pushy demands of our leftist political and racial

mindset in today's mindless "Broken New Britain,"

the final court verdict last week bordered more on

political retribution by the liberal magistrate than

so-called impartial civic justice. Hence:

"Pair guilty of abusing Sol Campbell."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23692914-details/Pair+guilty+of+abusing+Sol+Campbell/article.do

..

Vatican urged to expel African genocide suspect who is priest.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25496748-26040,00.html

..

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