tom stone

statement

i photograph people who skirt the edges of things; people whose connection to the broader flow is murky or obscured. mistaken as more, less or different than they are; they aren’t really seen and don’t really belong. that’s everyone sometimes; but some more often. i try to establish a line for a moment. i hope to connect. and i see the most beautiful and the most heartbreaking things. 

to my thinking, the original human trauma is our separation. we are too close not to need each other; and too far to trust each other. we rely on dubious senses and clever devices to interact; but we are alone in our thoughts. lonely, insecure and uncertain; we pair, we group, we associate. we try to belong and we seek to exclude. we form bonds by geography, religion, economy and otherwise. but it is all precarious. we come together and we drive apart. 

and we climb our ladder. we step away from those who don’t belong and help those who do. we are connected rung by rung – though less and less – as we push and pull. but some do not climb; and below, the earth is littered with them. they fit too poorly. they stand apart. they stand without.  

and what of them; these ones who don’t belong or who are excluded; who don’t fit or don’t try? is there nothing they value? is there nothing of them we value? i count it as a measure of our ignorance, the depth of poverty in the world. it’s a glaring marker to how far we have not come. yet it has also driven our advance; on less fortunate backs and against less fortunate fate.  

but is there really no connection there? does such fate – whether choice or circumstance – speak nothing of us? tell me we do more than advance in place; with so many left behind. or promise me we can do better. say we can reflect ourselves; us and them... that we can see the ways we overlap and distinguish the ways we grow apart. and pledge that we can learn; to fit all of our misshapes; to reward value beyond charity and beyond the marketplace; to be better to each other; to be better ourselves. and promise me it could be a better world. or tell me we are at our best. 

  • HOMELESS GIRL WITH DOLL, SAN FRANCISCO, APRIL 2006homeless kat from marin. kat has a cart and has been rapidly culling the trash cans for recycling. she has a doll around her neck; its arms in a constant embrace.i find myself staring. she reminds me of someone.(4/30/06)
  • YOUNG DRIFTER ASH, SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 2006young homeless drifter ash. he says he was named for an ancient death god or such and goes by ash for short. he grew up as a ward of the state. says his parents were {quote}fuckers.{quote} he got the star tattoo on his face when he was 13.says he's a {quote}traveler.{quote} has been hopping freight trains for years. he's off to louisiana tonight.but now a moment alone with a cigarette and a bottle. then to party with his friends. then there's a freight train he'll hop in oakland with his crew.(5/23/06)
  • DRIFTER GIRL, SAN FRANCISCO, SEPTEMBER 2007she's not as drunk as she pretends. and she's smarter than she lets on. the older boy next to her is just as drunk as he looks. they met earlier over a can of beer.her name is sadie; from {quote}everywhere.{quote} well, from chico really. but she doesn't live there anymore. mom kicked her out. says mom's a {quote}tweaker and a drunk.{quote}been getting around mostly by hitching. some trains too; but not so much. talks about places she's been to recently; and places she's going.the boy has a big smile on his face. says {quote}ain't she beautiful!{quote} like he's still figuring his luck.{quote}yes,{quote} i respond.
  • BOY WITH EAR LOBE GAUGES PANHANDLING, SAN FRANCISCO, APRIL 2006gabriel from portland sitting on the sidewalk panhandling. traveling the west coast. when he goes back to portland, figures he'll get {quote}some sorta mill job{quote}revised caption:...it's 12:31 pm. march 2. 2007.it's hard to breathe sometimes as the pulse races. or do i just forget to?the subject line reads {quote}on the road boy{quote}{quote}i know the boy... he never made it through the year{quote}...it's 5:59 pm. april 24. 2006. should it be this cold?he's sitting on the corner. like it's his. he's panhandling.waiting for a friend to bring back food.i sit beside him.as people pass, he's always noticed. some stop. some continue.we talk about the road. about home. about life. about girls.he's gentler than you'd think. more interested in things you say. and he cares more too.he's not sure what's next; but says now's good.his friend returns....it's october 17. 2006. it's his gun. it's his choice.farewell.gabriel joshua wolrab, may 3, 1985 - october 17, 2006.for his mother, his sisters, his brothers, his friends.
  • HOMELESS GIRL CAMPED OUT IN PARK, SAN FRANCISCO, MAY 2006homeless kaylyn from dallas sitting on sidewalk panhandling. she was thrown out of school and out of home when she was 15.she'd been on her own until last year when, at 17, she got engaged to a boy she met in san diego. they're living together now in a tent in the park.(5/17/06)
  • HOMELESS BOY SMOKING, SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2006homeless brad from illinois sitting on the sidewalk panhandling.(3/29/06)
  • YOUNG HOMELESS DRIFTER, SAN FRANCISCO, AUGUST 2006young homeless drifter michael from portland. he's sitting on the sidewalk resting with some friends. i see him as i pass on my way to a cafe. as i return, he has his head in his hands.i stop to chat. they've just arrived; though he's passed through before. i mention seeing lots of kids in town from portland. he says there's lots in portland from sf too. he asks where i'm from. {quote}kinda hawaii i guess; but mexico and la too.{quote} he says he'd like to visit someplace like hawaii but agrees sf's not so bad.(8/24/06)
  • BOY WITH FACE TATTOO PANHANDLING, SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2006justin from oregon sitting on sidewalk. talking up passersby for cash as i come by. has had the maori-like face tattoo for a bit more than a year.(3/29/06)
  • YOUNG DRIFTER PANHANDLING, SAN FRANCISCO, APRIL 2008his face shows fresh violence.{quote}you been sleeping 'round here?{quote} i ask, {quote}gets kinda dangerous; lotta kids getting beat up.{quote}{quote}yep{quote} he says, {quote}but i'm dangerous too.{quote}he's close with the scumfucks. so he does pretty good. his name is {quote}stephen{quote}, but they call him {quote}savage demon{quote}.{quote}'savage' cause i hurt people.{quote}me, i'm not so sure.was born in virginia, but is from oregon. his mom's there. his dad's in vegas.{quote}they're fucks; but i love them{quote}there's native american in him. he's proud of that. he's the only one of his family with any darkness in his skin to show for it.been on his own since he was 14. five years now. gets around by hopping trains. mostly on the west coast; {quote}up, down and back again.{quote} but wants to get to new york this time; never been. figures it will take him a few months.spends time with his aunt when he needs his {quote}solitude.{quote} she has some land in oregon. been having trouble with folks since her husband died; so he patrols the property with a shotgun.but she has cancer and won't last so long.{quote}she cried when i left...{quote} his thoughts trail...{quote}but she knows my heart's in movin.{quote}
  • GIRL ON SIDEWALK, SAN FRANCISCO, AUGUST 2009her name is skyler. she's still waiting but hasn't sold a thing. she's a hand for features colorfully animated. two note pages full for sale. but they don't seem to catch. her own might be a generous sketch. but she's a bit awkward. she's on a corner off to the side, bundled and hunched with a pile of packs and knapsacks. almost lost in the mix; but hard to miss.she's been on the road a short while. from pennsylvania. first was the new mexico rainbow gathering with two friends. hitching from stop to stop. then further; why not san francisco.her friends aren't here now, but she says they're somewhere about. they've all been sleeping on the pavement nights. it's not too bad. and the cops don't hassle you as long as you stay out of the park.she's not sure what's next, but it's been two months and she thinks she really should be getting home.
  • DRIFTING MUSICIAN | SAN FRANCISCO | APRIL 16, 2011.mika's been trying to get to la. he asks if i know anyone going. says he has a home in venice but no money. he gave up spare changing so that doesn't help.he's a musician but his friends are the ones performing. the girl singing has a rat in her hoodie pocket that she pets occasionally. she's singing like she's new at it. another girl's moving along, cradling an albino rat to her chin. a guy plays guitar.mika just sits on the curb looking lost. says he's been working on an album. recording it reel to reel. came up north {quote}to be with my muse.{quote} but she split to portland. he's been sleeping in the park and wants to leave.says the album's pretty slow and brooding. like how he's been. it's kinda folk music and kinda {quote}like Nick Cave.{quote} though {quote}you'd be surprised, that's not how i am normally.{quote} but he has to finish it; then he'll get back to the rock and roll.except {quote}i'm just fucking up, i'm fucking everything up.{quote}i tell him everyone has time to fuck up.
  • MADELYNN | SAN FRANCISCO | NOVEMBER 21, 2009.she moves in a pack of different company and different faces. she's been on her own that way since 15.there's strong things in her at odds. it's 75 at a drop like there's something to prove. a fiery end or an exit at the last, but a feel for destruction without and within. yet there's a haunting sympathy too; in a way that's hard to pinpoint but clear to the touch.alien is circling, chatting people as they go. a group of kids return from sleep nearby, ready to drink to the evening.johnny b is on the newsstand pointed no particular way. {quote}shot a man in reno just to watch him die.{quote} sings cash like he wrote it. holds his guitar like a blanket.maddie joins in on the chorus; sounding witness like a baptist. sitting on the pavement, she takes a long drink from a bottle then returns to patching someone's black leather jacket.she's drawing a crowd again. the current bends as it hesitates by; mostly finding no excuse to stay. some freshman girls with a printout want their poem read to a camcorder. the page is badly took and cursed to its shame. it is fed to the dog; who likes it well enough, but leaves it in shreds.
  • ZOMBIE | SAN FRANCISCO | NOVEMBER 29, 2009.she goes by zombie but there's still a spark. with her crew she's the one people notice. when they notice.but mostly, they don't see that she's sad. and maybe not so comfortable being pretty. or herself. and that she doesn't quite feel alive when she's still.or maybe that's just a girl she reminds me of.but her guy's been watching and figures she's talked too much. so she takes the bottle.
  • ADAM | VENICE, CA | FEBRUARY 8, 2010.he's from arkansas but home now. sleeps on the sidewalk up the way. came with his brother michael; his {quote}archangel{quote}. michael's family adopted him as a kid. counts himself blessed for that; getting out of foster care. counts himself home being by the ocean.says it called him completely. hasn't been on a board yet, but he's got friends gonna take him out. left for too many reasons. but thinks his music might get him somewhere. can't wait to show me. we drop to the pavement for a song.it's indigo child. his own. and he sings like he's bleeding. he's sweating when he's done and asks a towel from a boardwalk vendor. says he's got six songs and wants to cut a demo.a guy's been helping; recording him a bit. he's just sad michael can't hear it. disappeared about a month ago, and he's really scared.
  • YOUNG GIRL DRIFTER PANHANDLING, SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER 2008She's Tuesday and she shines but she's dirty. Looks like she's dressed in her brother's hand me downs. Or from 1950, like an after hour circus clown.Her voice is dirty too; gravelly.{quote}Shoutin' too much?{quote} I ask.No smokin' and drinking too much. She smiles.She's got three boys to look after her. They tower above her. She acts the mascot; but it's not quite true.The oldest shows me his wounded hand. Says its getting infected. Tuesday's doing. Attacked him with a stick last night.{quote}I was pretty drunk{quote} she explains; not sure if she quite remembers. She is still and will soon be more.They're just in town from Geogia, but she's from Missouri. They keep together.Been on the road for about a year and a half now. Calls her family now and then so they know she's {quote}not dead.{quote}And Tuesday?{quote}That's the day I left. I had to get the fuck out of St. Louis{quote}
  • HOMELESS GIRL, SAN FRANCISCO, DECEMBER 2007she's from the bay area. but things went bad last time. so she's been gone till now. says she lost her cat, her apartment, and her fiance all on the same weekend. so she up and split. went north.she's sitting with two dogs and a boy. the boy is river; the {quote}great river{quote}; not for phoenix. and he doesn't like cameras. as for her, she's elizabeth; {quote}like the queen.{quote} she smiles.they are selling handmade necklaces and keepsakes. hers are made of twine and cloth; his of twisted metal. they met twisting herb up north.{quote}you know,{quote} says river, {quote}you're taking a picture of the prettiest homeless girl in town!{quote}she giggles.
  • YOUNG DRIFTER GIRL PANHANDLING, SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2009she's pretty in a way that draws a crowd. so i wait for the last to break.it's a beautiful day. she's spanging on the sidewalk with her pitbull and two boys. they're trying to make a few bucks for lunch. she's been traveling two years now; ever since her granddad kicked her out for the pound of pot.he's got cancer now. she calls him every week so's he knows she's ok. was just a kid when her mom died in a car crash. dad's in jail. he writes her a lot.headed north next. been all over. liked dc best; but florida was good too.name's rain from bakersfield. talks like one of the guys but doesn't smile that way.
  • YOUNG DRIFTER MATT, SAN FRANCISCO, OCTOBER 2006young drifter matt from washinton state pandhandling with a friend and 'petitioning' against homelessness.hops trains solo during the summer months and stays put outdoors in sf otherwise.asks why the pic. i tell him it's the eyes.says he gets that sometimes.(10/15/06)
  • CHILD IN POVERTY, SAN FRANCISCO, JUNE 2007it's an in between day. stalled on the way somewhere. a strange intermission. tomorrow will better judge.a lady pushes a stroller by as i hardly notice. except for a glimpse of golden locks.they're at the intersection when i arrive. i glance down and the child in the stroller looks up. i smile. he says {quote}hello{quote} and smiles back. the woman doesn't notice; she continues along. and i go another way.but they really don't seem off to an evening stroll; as they enter the park. and i peer back as they approach a group of figures barely visible under the darkness of a tree.the woman pulls something from her jacket which she passes to the others.i return from another direction and i'm stared down as i approach. there is the lady and a man; neither stranger to the elements. she's black; he's white. there are two older children and one baby in a second stroller. and there is the child i met before. he is 3.the children are opening colorful bags of candy that the lady brought back. it seems to be dinner. the child hands me his bag.the two youngest are the couple's children together. the family lives in a shelter and sometimes beneath the stars. they'll be in the shelter tonight. it opens at 9pm.the child is {quote}chance.{quote}{quote}like the movie?{quote} i ask. {quote}peter sellers?{quote}the father smiles. {quote}no. she's 32 and i'm 42 and this here is my last chance at a life.{quote}(6/26/07)
  • HOMELESS BOY, SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2006homeless gil sitting on sidewalk checking out a girl standing nearby. just arrived in sf from a jersey {quote}ghetto{quote} a few hours earlier with his friend chris. they hitched and freight hopped from jersey. they didn't know anyone, but they're sitting on the sidewalk with some new friends.
  • HOMELESS BOY EXHALING SMOKE, SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 2006homeless chris exhales smoke sitting on the sidwalk. just arrived in sf from a jersey {quote}ghetto{quote} a few hours earlier with his friend gil. they hitched and freight hopped from jersey. they didn't know anyone, but they're sitting on the sidewalk with some new friends.
  • ERIN, SAN FRANCISCO, SEPTEMBER 2009she's dressed like a boy on a backyard adventure. with a tan utility belt, knap and canvas pants. and with the slight pink remains of a black eye. hanging with some crew, she was beat by scumfucks for a better spot in the rain. she checks the lcd to see it's mostly gone. and i nearly hear wendy calling for pan.a guy with palsy rolls up in his wheelchair struggling with words and a paper bag. he doesn't manage the words but there's success in a square of knit leggings drawn from the bag. she promises to try em if she happens on warm weather and a skirt. he rolls on.she travels alone for no good reason that flies. not even a dog; which she {quote}wouldn't know what to do with{quote}. she's been on the road since ten. most of it with her ma; but her ma's dead now. dad's been dead. won't be long till she's been on the road longer than not. but she looks like the kid that started off. following her mother into the wilderness. like they promised to never grow up. or land. or get tied down. and to die before they get old.
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