This is Michael. Michael is a professional man. I met Michael while daydreaming by the water between classes with my roommate in November. After our encounter, we used to see Michael around campus. This interaction struck my mind since I haven't seen him around for a few months.
On this day, he offered me an Arizona Iced Tea. Peach to be exact. I noticed the rust on his finger tips and the grease in his hair as he generously outreached his hand as if to say "take it." I told him thanks, but that I wasn't thirsty and wanted him to keep it. He placed the iced tea back inside of his plastic bag. We continued to chat. After about 45 minutes, we found out more about Michael's life than probably any stranger he's ever encountered. It turns out, Michael has lived a fascinatingly extraordinary life filled with an abundance of adventures. From being invited to Big Bear's (a highly respected Native American's) house for dinner, to living in the mountains for a few weeks and drinking beer amongst the most highly respected marines and what he called "tribal men", you would think that, despite his homelessness, he was living the dream. I'm not entirely sure whether or not Michael's stories were true.
Faux or for real, the light in his eyes and warmth in his smirk as he retold these tales was enough to make a heart explode.
Although his legends were far from boring, the moment that replays in my mind most vividly is when Michael told us to walk up the stairs leading down to the beach. Without question, we did. He told us to examine what was wrong with the stairs, and at first, we had no idea. "It's off by about a quarter inch. The second to last step- it's slanted. And so is the railing it pops out at the end... I've fixed these stairs on my own for a year and I keep telling the police to give me proper equipment to fix it. It's dangerous for all you kids."
Out of all of the problems in the world, little food, little ability to keep up with personal hygiene, and no roof over his head, Michael was most concerned about offering his peach iced tea and fixing the local staircase to the beach for others, for strangers. He didn't complain about his life. He told his tales with a smile and a watery happiness at the base of his eyes. "You see, I am a professional" he said as he transitioned between the hazards of the slanted staircase and hardships through alcoholism.
Moments like these bring me back down to earth. They take me outside of the little bubble of an island that Isla Vista can sometimes become. I realize how lucky I am, and how insignificant my worries in life are, especially compared to those that live 2 minutes away from my room, without much to survive off of.
Michael revealed his hardships and hurdles in his life, about his journey through homelessness and alcoholism. He told us how the very spot we were standing in to count the clouds and waves between classes, was his favorite spot to watch the sunset between drinks. He told us to never give up in life because he's still holding on, praying for stability and peace of mind (the people talking in his head are radio hosts on what he calls, "michael FM.") He told us that if the people on his talk show inside his head could give us any advice before we left, it would be to watch as many sunsets as possible and to remember that the only people who can hold us back from our dreams, are ourselves.
Michael gave me another lens to look out of that day, and I hope by sharing his story you gain a perspective through this lens too. It can't hurt to have more than one in the camera bag.
