Should not be on the street

She stands about 5 feet tall and is layered in clothing with her best on the outside. She is one of the many seniors in Nashville, Tennessee who should not have to be on the streets.

Because she is diabetic, she has a hard time walking as her feet and legs are often swollen in pain. Today, I found her sitting alone in the rain at a Metro bus stop.

In the past, I have run into her throughout the city arguing with herself about how people hurt her or steal from her.

“Love, care and treasure the elderly people in the society.” 
― Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind

Plans fell through for Johnny Pops

This was my second time to photograph John Ross, age 68. Both he and his wife are homeless and living on the streets of downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

I remember the first conversation I had with him, he told me that everyone calls him Johnny Pops. He was born in 1947 and has a stern yet caring look about him.

Ross told me several weeks ago that he and his wife had a job offer to live on a farm in Indiana. However, those plans have since fallen through so it looks as if Mr. and Mrs. Ross will be out in the cold this winter. They currently sleep at a bus stop near the Tennessee Capital.

American businessman and poet Samuel Ullman (1840-1925) once stated, “Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

When I see elderly who are homeless I wonder what their future looks like and what it could look like. I often see a loss of enthusiasm for life in the aged who are without a place to live. However, Johnny “Pops” Ross still has that enthusiasm, I just wonder how long the spunk will last on the cold streets. I wish I could offer a solution to their situation, but I don’t have one.