Please remember, I am traveling, out of the country and in the hinterlands. If you leave a comment, don’t be offended if I don’t acknowledge it. I like to reply to every comment, but likely won’t be able to do so until I return.

Here’s another profile from my Gentlemen of Baltimore project: Alphonzo

Alphonzo

Alphonzo moved to Baltimore from the Eastern Shore. “I didn’t want to bring shame on my family.” He has been on the street since. That was five years ago. “I just got comfortable, not paying rent, getting high.” He says he makes money panhandling and turning tricks. He also has a drug problem. Two weeks earlier a drug deal turned ugly. “We were in an abandoned warehouse and the dealer told me to do jumping jacks. I did them. Then he told me to do push ups. I did them. Then he made me stand on a box and sing. He had friends there too and they started to stab me with little stabs all over. Finally, they heated a knife blade and burned my face. I went back a week later for more drugs. But he was gone. It was probably a good thing he wasn’t there.”

Thanks for reading.