Staple Design Aight man, how you doin today? Abdul I've been hanging in there, you know. Staple Design Doin alright? Abdul Yep. Staple Design What's your name? Abdul My name is Abdul Malik. Staple Design How old are you? Abdul I'm 49. Staple Design Where you from? Abdul South Carolina. Staple Design How long have you been homeless for? Abdul I've been homeless about ten years. Staple Design How did it happen? Abdul I lost my apartment, you know. I got laid off my job and I've been
living with people, trying to do work. I've been pushing a hotdog wagon, you
know? And, um, just kind of odd jobs. Staple Design What's the best thing that's happened to you in the last ten years? Abdul The last ten years? I got a room, I pay ten dollars a night, down
in Chinatown. You know that's all that I could afford. I used to hustle cans
and bottles you know? Try to keep clean. Go to soup lines, and go to, just
some different kind of lines where they feed you for free. There's a lot. Staple Design What's the worst thing that's happened to you? Abdul Yeah, I got cut. I got robbed for my [unclear] and my clothes bag,
you know what I mean? You know. I had a couple of fights with a bunch of
gangs. Staple Design How do you get by to survive? Abdul I survive, you know? I go to certain churches, you know. Staple Design What are some the churches that you go to? Abdul I go to like Bowery Mission, I go to, um, Opendoor, I go to um...it's
like a program called BIC, take a shower, you know eat, just eat breakfast,
just eat lunch. 7:30 to 1:00. Staple Design So where do you see yourself in five years man? Abdul Where do I see myself in five years? I see myself just like this.
Keep on surviving, enjoying you know, keep this room. Staple Design How do you get money? Abdul You know $25 or $30 paid in cash for pushing the hotdog wagon. You
know, doing little odd jobs. Staple Design What do you do with the money when you get it? Abdul I buy clothes, you know? You know and sneakers. Different kinds of
t-shirts, because I like to play ball. Staple Design What's your favorite movie? Abdul My favorite movie? Gangster movie...I like,um, Clint Eastwood. Staple Design What's your favorite book? Abdul Favorite book? My favorite novel is, um, Iceberg Slim. Yeah. Staple Design Aight, what's your favorite food? Abdul Food? I like ham, black eyed pees, collar greens. Staple Design What do you do for fun out here? You play basketball? Abdul Yeah play basketball, hang out with the girls, you know? Do my
thing. Staple Design What do you think about NYC? Abdul NYC is a good college. It's a good college. Staple Design No, no, no, not NYU, like New York City. Abdul Oh, oh, oh New York City? New York City is about the best city in
the world because, you can eat, survive, get food from Churches, and
programs and people that come on and give you a couple of dollars and give
you food. Staple Design Whatchu think about the mayor though? Abdul Mayor...you know....He mean well. And for the homeless he's been kind
of bad, you know, by putting the homeless people down. Staple Design Where'd you go to highschool? Abdul I went to [unclear] on 84th street and Central Park West. Staple Design Did you go to college at all? Abdul No, I went two years, of Bronx community college, taking
accounting, and drawing a little bit. Staple Design Alright, do you have any kids? Abdul Yeah, my kids are grown. You know, in South Carolina. Staple Design Do you believe in God? Abdul Yes. Staple Design What's your religion? Abdul My religion is Moslem. Staple Design If you could be anywhere in the world, where would it be? Abdul New York City. Staple Design What's your definition of the word home? Abdul Homeless? Oh the definition of home? It's something where you
know, I find a nice doorway, I'll find a nice doorway or find a nice place
and nobody you know rob me or try to hurt me, that's what I call home. Staple Design Thanks so much man.
MALIK ABDUL