NEEDCOM: FOCUS GROUP: Looking for a Job

NEEDCOM:

Some people don't give to panhandlers because they think panhandlers should be looking for a job instead of panhandling.

PRIM:

Yeah, but a lot of people don't have clothes that it takes to go look for a job in. That's a lot of the panhandlers' situation—you can't go look for a job in jeans. Well, you can, but some people just have their dirty clothes, or some people ... In my case I have good clothes and bad clothes, some of what people give me. So I have dress stuff too. So I look for jobs.

But I have to do this too, 'cause I have to have somewhere to wake up from to clean up and be well rested to work a job. So I have got to do this, at least until the two weeks is up and I have the first money of the job. I would still have to do this. After that, when I'm on my feet, I'm on my feet and I'm letting go of this door.

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NEEDCOM:

Who gives you more money, women or men?

DONALD:

Women tend to give me more than men.

NEEDCOM:

Why?

DONALD:

Men feel like you should get a job or something like that, but that's easier said than done. It seems easy, but it's hard to do. I've been trying to find a job for the last six months, but I haven't had any luck. There's plenty of jobs out here, it's just hard to find. I look for a job every morning, from like ten until like twelve or one o'clock. That's the time if I can't find one, I do my thing.

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EASY:

A lot of people don't know that there are people that have jobs and don't have a place to stay. I got a friend that sleeps on the train and gets up and go to work, 'cause he can't afford the rent. So what do you say to this guy? His self-esteem is starting to go down. And he's a good guy, man. I couldn't do it.