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Once again, I found myself driving around asking and searching for veterans living on the streets. While driving my rental car I found myself in the right lane as I approached a round about however there was no parking near. As I made way way through the approach I rolled down the passenger right window because I saw a man with his back to me sitting in the shade under a tree, from the car I yelled out sir, sir are you a veteran or were you a solider, which instantly perked him up. My assessment to this was not the mere fact that he was sitting alone rather early military soldiers were required to iron or press their uniforms with crisp creases and the way certain units wore their hats led me to believe this. He responded who’s asking I told him my name and what I was trying to do.
Once I found parking I made my way back to where he was sitting and I asked him could I sit in his space and he said sure so, I sat on his 4x4 piece of cardboard. At this point he was still postured as if he was going to have to protect himself, but I said I’m a veteran and showed him a few tattoos and said I want to hear your story. I stopped him as he began to speak and asked what his name was as I properly introduced myself. He said Samuel Lee. Samuel told me that he served from 69-82. He went on to explain that while over there war was tough and that he felt that he had better friends and help there than right here as he pointed to the ground and rubbed his fingers in the dirt.
Samuel said that I was shot, blown up, and I come back here, and I can’t even get the VA to help me. He said I’m on 3 waiting list for homeless shelters and I can’t get my disability check because I don’t have an address. He said the last place he was at he was asked to leave. I said why he told me that at 62 he’s still having to fight because as he states the young thugs tried to rob me of his monthly disability check and I had to show them I’m not to be messed with. He said the prior few months he got jumped and got his money taken. On this current month he defended himself, by doing so the administration saw this and evicted him. He told me that he just wants to mind his business and not bother anyone. So ultimately, he said I’m surviving and still having to fight.