The Man Who Lived in my Car

I had a friend in trouble. He moved into my car. I wrote about it. The picture in the avatar is the bar behind my old home.

The Man Who Lived in my Car

 

 

 

His name was Santos

Short, peaceful, Mexican

He was my new neighbor

In the eight unit beach bungalows

That sat on the corner of 22^nd and pacific.

He lived across from me.

 

Happy

Smiling

More mouse than man

He told me Diablo

Lived in bar

Behind my Beach Bungalow

 

He was a good amigo

Had a fine brown van

And dated Apollonia’s mother

Life was muy bien

For my new friend

 

After a little while

Santos returned to the bar

Behind our home

To drink with Diablo

 

In a matter of months

He lost everything

His home

Van

And Apollonia’s mother

 

The bar life will

Drain a man.

Leaves him soulless

Leaves him homeless

Leaves him lifeless

 

He came to me one night

One Cold Harbor night

And asked me if he could

Sleep in

my

car

 

A four door

1989 Toyota corolla

I purchased from a Chinese student

Who attended Cal state long beach

Two doors worked

Two windows didn’t

The heat never did

 

I said yes

 

Before I left for work each morning

To baby sit the urban youth

I woke my sleepless, homeless friend

He lived in my car for six months

This was our routine

In a few weeks our routine would change

 

I later found plastic packets with a white dusty residue

I ignored them

I did not

I could not

 

 

My car became his temporary casa.

Driver side: bedroom

Passenger side: living room

Back seat: Kitchen, den, and foyer

 

During the morning when I woke him

He would jump out of the car

He would grab his green duffle bag

And hobble off

To the streets of San Pedro

 

My landlord was Roy

A self made Millionaire, who lived in Bixby Knolls but was from Allentown, PA

Roy owned a recycling plant

Roy owned a plane

 

Roy found out Santo was living

 In

My

 Car

 

He told me he had to go

He had caught him shitting in the alley

At that moment I thought Roy

Needed another hobby.

 

Roy said it was illegal to have

Homeless Mexican men

Who drank with Diablo

And dated Apollonia’s mother

In

My

Car

 

That night I saw Santos

He invited two other people

 Into

 My

 Car

 

His home

They were addicts

Drug abusers.

I told Santos his lease was up

He and the addicts disappeared

Into the alley

Behind the bar

Were the devil drank

 

A month later I told Roy I had to go

I packed the housecar and drove to Carson

 

A little while later

Roy’s plane hit a Mountain in Alaska

 

I guess God don’t like ugly

Even if he owned a plane.

 

 

Author's Note

please, comments, conversation, edits, love hates. I must say I love the comments some of you are very intelligent thinkers.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Good ending for Roy. I like the story. I like the description of the life of Santos. A lot of good people can fall down. Good to have someone give a little kindness. I drank with the Devil a few times on the beach in Santa Cruz. Thank you for the excellent story.
Coyote

[Shy Girl]

It's to bad so much aweful befalls to many, but only a handful come out alright and can share a kindness when it is possible. This was a very interesting story. You sir, have had experiences that would probably turn my hair gray or at the very least give me a heart attack. (literally) I like that you write about your life experiences, they give and extra deepness to your work. Thank you :)

[Brandi Nicole]

very good! it's real and I like real! also....very fond of the ending ;)

[J.J. NIGHTINGALE]

The good the bad and the ugly .. reach, and grab for what they need, and want .. some pay a price .. some just exist ....

Thoughts to ponder .. Jasmine

[Dr. Kittin]

The humor in this is wonderful, almost dark and wonderful. The entire poem was written flawlessly, the flow being continuos. The story was well told, humorous, and touching. And the last two lines brought the entire thing to a wonderful close. Bravo~!

[unknown]

The last two lines really jus made me laugh "I guess God don't like ugly, Even if he owned a plane" ...but the overall story is quite heartfelt i would say.

[Dr. S. D. Blankenship P..]

The Man Who Lived in my Car
A Poem by Judas Hammer

This is -- Marvelous -- I become aware of some parts are ticking my humor bones. In spite of that, there are some parts that are just cheerless and somnolent. You’re friend has had a bad life.

House car is two words. Not one. ;)

~S. D. Blankenship

[...]

Powerful read, mixed emotions. Enjoyed the read.

[Kenneth The Poet]

This is like a story relayed orally. This reminds me of an old tale a Native American could tell. These story-poem works of yours are excellent, and as the other writers said, you have captured the indifference of rich man to poor man very well.