“My life on the streets was funner than the army.” Raymond

stories behind the fog
Stories Behind The Fog
4 min readApr 1, 2019

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Photography by Nick Marzano

I came to San Francisco when I got out of the army. I got general discharge under honorable conditions. At that point I had some mental blocks. My family was originally from here, I have my roots in San Francisco. But for a long time I didn’t have a home here.

“San Francisco was taking care of me. I was just partying, basically 85% of the time.”

While I didn’t have a home, I had a good life here. Basically, San Francisco was taking care of me. I was just partying, basically 85% of the time. The rest of the time I was seeing the sites, camping out, riding on my bike. Carbon fiber, you know? Whewwwww. I didn’t need money, because I had friends. Some people don’t have to worry about money.

It was funner than in the air force, and the air force days were already really good days. We were in Vegas, and my friends’ parents worked at the casinos. They were totally rich, and we would go around in a freaking red and white 1974 El Dorado. It was unreal.

I didn’t have a home for fifteen years, maybe twenty. When I think about it, I’m like, ‘It all went really fast.’ I’m 53 now, maybe I just don’t age.

“I believe Mayor Ed Lee fast-tracked me into a place.”

I came to North Beach Citizens three years ago. They helped me find housing. One day I was here, putting my waffles in the toaster. I turn around, and there is Mayor Ed Lee. He had a whole freaking entourage, three photographers, three camera dudes. Apparently they did a ceremony for a brand new building. I talked to him, and I believe he fast-tracked me into a place. I mean, I talked to him and then it went real fast.

North Beach Citizens basically acted as my secretary. One time I had three college interns coming with me to an appointment. It was like Charlie’s Angels, I felt like a rockstar. They went with me and spoke up for me. I’ve become attached to them, the counsellor people. When they leave, it’s hard.

“It’s been crazy out here lately. I mean, since Trump everything seems a little nuttier.”

Photography by Nick Marzano

It’s been crazy out here lately. I mean, since Trump everything seems a little nuttier. Like the abrasive nutty, like borderline. San Francisco might never be the same, this will be a very different San Francisco pretty soon.

“One day you wake up and you’re freaking married, you’re not hungover.”

I’m single now, but I was married for a while in ’92, after the army. First I was dating like crazy, and then I felt like I had to be around this girl all the time, like you’re going to lose somebody and that’s why I got married. I’m glad I did it, but it was a trip. One day you wake up and you’re freaking married, you’re not hungover, you’re not drunk.

“I swear I’m not shopping to get married, but there are going to be a lot of billionaires in this city. “

I don’t know if I want to be married again. I swear I’m not shopping to get married, but there are going to be a lot of billionaires in this city…

For my future, I just want to lounge at my place. Vacuum sometimes, do the dishes, wash the car. I want to make sure everything is perfect, because people are happy when they come home and everything is perfect. Then they can focus on the business or whatever they do.

These days I’m working every day, sweeping the streets. I make 15 bucks. It’s not bad, because the rent is paid. Which is great, you know, the rents are outrageous.

“I finally realized what the word public servant means, and I’m happy to say that I probably am one.”

Photography by Nick Marzano

I feel free. I finally realized what the word public servant means, and I’m happy to say that I probably am one. I am working on my manners. Just helping somebody, picking up trash. That’s what makes everything cool in the world.

Shared weekly on Medium, and soon to be published in a book, ‘Stories Behind the Fog’ is a compendium of 100 stories of people affected by homelessness in San Francisco. The project was triggered by one man’s story that will be released next year in the form of a feature-length documentary: www.mosesdoc.com

This story has been written by Arjanna van der Plas, and photographed by Nick Marzano in collaboration with our partner organization North Beach Citizen.

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The stories of 100 people experiencing homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area. Soon to be published in a book to support our non-profit partners.