Home for the Holidays

By Susan Deng

Tis the season to be jolly as Christmas Day gets closer, with people eagerly waiting to spend some quality time with their families for the holidays. For some, however, the holidays aren't as jolly.

Raton has been living on the streets for 10 years now and can't remember the last time he saw his family. Years of alcohol has blurred the memories of his family and the home he used to have. Originally from Mexico, Raton left his country, along with his broken home, in search of a better life in America. However, he feels he is a stranger in this country and admits his life, especially during the holiday season, is harder to bear without his family.

"Especially on Christmas and this season, I miss them [his family]...I am here and they are there."

But Raton says his family will forever be in his heart, no matter how far apart or long it has been. And while Raton misses his family, he certainly isn't lonely.

Raton stays and sleeps on the corner of Main and 35th Street in East Los Angeles, in a porch in front of a large commercial building with about six other homeless men. They spend the nights together, and Raton never feels lonely as long as they are there to keep him company.

"They are my more than my friends, they are my brothers...and that's all I have."

Among Raton's homeless brothers is a man named Charlie, who has found a permanent residency at the porch by Raton a couple of years ago. Like Raton, Charlie misses his family very much and feels the pain even more when Christmas time rolls around. While people are caroling and cheering, Raton says he cries by himself.

"There are days where I smile and days where I laugh. But these times, I am crying by myself."

Charlie said they certainly don't celebrate the holidays like most ordinary people do. There are no stockings, no turkey, and certainly no presents under the Christmas tree. They bring out a "mini-kitchen," as Charlie calls it, and eat together to celebrate the season. Their "mini-kitchen" is basically an inexpensive grill that they use when everyone joins together to eat. Charlie says one of the guys usually cooks and makes tacos.

"We eat Mexican food. We buy some cheap carne and other meats. We eat Mexican food because we are all Mexican guys."

It's these small gatherings that keep Charlie and Raton's minds away from missing their families for a while. Raton smiled as he talked about the relationship that he and the other homeless men share on the streets.

"We are all homeless, we have no money no job, but we are there for each other."

It is this bond that causes Raton and Charlie to continue to sleep on the porches on the corner of Main and 35th Street, even in the harsh winter season. With the weather dropping as low as 34-degrees fahrenheit a night, Raton and Charlie still choose to sleep on their porches. There are plenty of homeless shelters in Los Angeles, with one just a couple blocks down from where they stay. However, they choose to endure the cold weather and strong winds at night with the rest of their brothers. Charlie said he doesn't want to go to shelters because it gets crowded, as well as complicated.

"There are fights and bad things that happen. Here, it is peaceful, there are no fights...we are all friends."

Raton couldn't agree more.

"We would rather be here, in the cold with our brothers...the shelters are no home."

Raton stays warm with a cotton blue blanket that he has had for years, as well as large pieces of cardboard. Charlie has a sleeping bag and uses pieces of cardboard to keep warm as well.

They said that people also donate jackets and other clothing items to them during this time of year. Proudly showing off his thick gray and orange jacket, Charlie said it was from a local resident who lived a couple streets over.

"They have a good heart. They see us and drive back, bringing us jackets and clothes. We would be even more cold without them."

The cold nights are bearable so long as they have each other, and the community they have found on the streets of East Los Angeles.

Even without a family, a thick coat, or a mattress to sleep on, Raton still smiles, thanking God for what he and Charlie do have during this holiday season.

"We have our brothers. We are home for the holidays."