Homelessness

In Mudgee NSW

There are people sleeping in Mudgee tonight on the streets. People who can't get a house. A lot of people do pick on them. In Sydney there are a lot of people in working clothes who are camping under the bridge.

One time I ran away. When my mum was alive and I got cranky and went in my room, got dressed in my overalls, and camped in my ute. I camped around Mudgee. It was winter time but I had a blanket with me. I drove out of town on the out of town road. I parked on the side of the road. It was a little bit scary but I was used to it. I think I only stayed out there for the night. While I was out there my family started to settle down. I went to work the next day.

I was working for Dad, and he came and told me that he said something to my friend. He asked me to come home. He said Mum was a bit upset too.

The next time it happened was the week that my Mum passed away. I slept in the ute for about a week, because my aunty thought she could take my Mum’s place.  Dad spoke up for me and said he's only got one Mum. I was sleeping in the ute but I was still going out to work.

Sometimes it was parked out on the road out of town, sometimes it was out near the old sale yards. On a Friday I decided to go home and have a shower because I hadn’t had a shower for a week. Then another fellow came and got me and said I told him the truth why you were sleeping in the ute.  I was still going to work and everything. They needed me to do the deliveries. Some of the customers said “Oh, we saw you out sleeping in the ute.”

I just felt that I could go home at any time but that I didn’t want to. Not everyone has that choice. They just stay outside, and sometimes they get into fights. Someone rings the Police, and people end up sleeping in the park.

When I think about homeless people and I see people who don’t care it brings up for me when I was staying in the ute. So many people have no house to stay in. They’ve got no family. No-one to talk to.

My lady is away working. It’s been a while since I saw her. But she phoned this morning to say good morning.  I felt happy, and it’s comforting to have someone in your life who cares. Not everyone is that lucky. This is my story and I can only say I’m lucky to have my family and I don’t have to sleep in my ute every night.