# The code of the streets



## TheUndeadPhoenix (Jul 13, 2012)

I've been wanting to write this for awhile and I have no idea if this is the right forum for this. It seems to fit though.

My story is a long one, but that's not what this is about. This is about what I've learned while I was on the street. A set of codes that one should abide by to make life better for not only themselves, but their fellow man.

The first rule I learned is "Each one teach one". Meaning that if somebody has recently become homeless or lack the skills to survive, help them learn. Show them the ropes. I learned this from a man named Andre, somebody I would consider a homeguard, in Philadelphia.

The second rule I learned on my own: Provide for yourself however you can. Meaning if you can get food without money, do it. If not, try to find a source of income. Pan handling, busking, working odd jobs, etc. Do not resort to stealing. Its not worth your time in jail.

The third one I learned: Don't trust bum feeds. I don't know what the fuck it is, but whenever I went to bum feeds, I would get diarrhea within 2 hours of it. I don't know if they contaminated the food with laxatives, let it sit too long in the open air or it just had too much grease in it. When I say bum feeds, I mean ones that are serving hot food in the park. Places like Food Not Bombs, sandwich people and soup kitchens do not fall under this category.

Rule Four: Don't roll with too many kids. Too many kids blow up the spot, especially if they have DOGS. I saw some kids on my way out of LA 7 deep with 6 dogs go into a squat. I ALMOST went in. I scoped it out for 10 minutes and I heard sirens. Obviously they were either drunk oogles, they didn't keep their dogs quite, both or other shit I can't even think of.

RULE FIVE: DON'T FUCKING DO HALLUCINOGENS IN A SQUAT!!! This guy Casey I met in Philly blew up the Textile factory by doing DXM. From what the cops told me, he was on the 3rd or 5th floor (I was on the 4th, it was all locked off) and he threw an empty colt 45 bottle and a cinder block at the captain. Nobody know what happened to him. All we know is the cops never caught him during their raids. They busted my doors open with a sledgehammer because it was that well locked up.

Rule six: Always try to secure your squat(s) or keep them as secret as possible. Found yourself a nice roof top? See if there's anywhere you can stash your stuff or barricade the door. Abando house? Board up the doors and make the only entrance/exit very well hidden, like a cellar door if it has one. Campsite? Be at least a quarter mile off the trail. You don't want to SEE the trail from your camp. You might have to go through alot of weeds to get there, but its worth it. Wear long pants.

Rule seven: Only pack what you need to survive. Never carry water on the road. If you do, keep it to a minimum. [I meant to say "never carry water in the city". My bad.] You can always refill at the next gas station you hit or buy a soda, water, etc. Pack light if you can, but season appropriate. If you have friends, stash your summer/winter gear with them, swing through and swap your shit out.

Rule eight: Make friends. Not just other kids on the street. Hipsters, oogles, christian groups (even if you're pagan/agnostic, like me) etc. Yes, oogles. You want to sleep in the rain? I didn't think so. Beggars can't be choosers. The more friends you have, the more help you can get.

Rule nine: Don't be a sack of shit. This is slightly contrary to eight. Don't be "that guy" that just sticks a needle in his arm all day long and does nothing else. That's why homeless people in general have a bad reputation. If somebody offers you a job, such as selling tours in Hollywood (I've done it), consider it. If you think you can do it, DO IT. More money and you feel good after working, even if you didn't get paid a shitload of money. I'd rather work than pan handle, because I have the drive to be off the street some day and so should you.

Rule ten: If you ever get on your feet and well off, for fuck sake, help people out. Revert to rule one and help as much as you can. When I get on my feet, I want to work in a restaurant. My plan is to ask my Chef for any leftovers from that night and take them to feed people. I have a ServSafe and know that food is good for UPTO 4 hours after it has been cooked. I would NEVER serve somebody food that's expired. I'm not a shithead like that. When I get WELL OFF, I want to own several restaurants and do more or less the same thing, except people can come to me if they so choose to get a plate made for them right there.

Rule eleven: Don't be an oogle. There are several definitions for oogles, such as: Having a credit card or bank account that mommy and daddy pay money into (that's the most common one), telling people its "cool to be homeless", thinking you know everything (even I admit, when I finish this, its incomplete), being in a train gang, not trying to improve yourself, owning expensive electronics and not being "able" to help people (rule one again). The list goes on and I don't know all of it. But you get the gist of it.

Rule twelve: Don't get high in public. If you're gonna shoot up, drink, etc (unless its weed and you have a card), save it for your squat. You run a higher chance of being arrested and if you're seen shooting up somewhere all the time (EG: Tompkins Square Park), you're gonna have EVERYBODY 86'd from there. Not only that, but if you later flight a sign and somebody saw you shooting up, they might even tell people "Hey, I saw him shooting up, don't give him money". So use common sense, which alot of people on the street seem to lack for some fuckin reason.

Rule thirteen: DO NOT CARRY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE! I know alot of people, including myself, who've lost theirs only to have to get a new one. do you have to carry it? Make a photocopy! Fuck, if you have to, have your friends or even your parents hold on to them until you get a job. You're only helping ID thieves carrying the originals. With copies, you can still apply for food stamps and a few other things. Only a job really needs to have the original. You can't get an ID with a photocopy, so that's one protecting factory

Rule fourteen: Have a goal in your travels. Not a point B, but a REASON why you're traveling. I traveled to find myself and see the country. Now I'm traveling again to wait for a friend to get out of jail as well as get out of this shitty city. Maybe I'll find a job along the way, who knows.


That's all I can think of. Like I said, this is incomplete, but these are the major lessons I've learned on the road. I hope you guys can benefit from my commentary and add your own.


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## billyriot (Jul 18, 2012)

Well said!


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## kevlar (Jul 18, 2012)

Never knew there were so many rules to being free. Damn that's like the 14 homeless commandments!
Just kidding... For the most part I agree with you. 
Some kids Need smacked a few times and made to write these out like 50 times each haha


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## kevlar (Jul 18, 2012)

Should add in "dont spange a spanger" "don't steal peoples fuckin gear!" and "don't be aggressive and obnoxious and act like anyone owes you shit cuz you're on the street and you deserve it" 
Oh and provide for your animals before yourself, and not a couple scraps... YOU chose to take THEM on the road, it wasn't their decision.
ALSO DON'T BE A SCUMBAG OR ELITIST OR JUDGEMENTAL PRICK. It only makes you as bad as the rest of society


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## TheUndeadPhoenix (Jul 19, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback all. I knew I didn't have everything lol


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## TheUndeadPhoenix (Jul 19, 2012)

Somebody should sticky this


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## Augustine (Apr 2, 2013)

Great list! Thank you for sharing.


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## Beegod Santana (Apr 5, 2013)

Rule 15: FUCK YOU, PAY ME!



naaah, just kidding, be respectful kids. Or else the "Homebum Booogeymen" will git ya.


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## Matt Derrick (Apr 12, 2013)

Well written my friend, this is great, and I like everyone's input, folks should keep it coming. I'll sticky this sometime when I'm not on my cell phone.


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## Odin (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks for taking the time to write that.


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## TheUndeadPhoenix (Apr 18, 2013)

Odin said:


> Thanks for taking the time to write that.


No problem. Alot more people need to fuckin read this


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## Mad Max (Sep 14, 2013)

I'd like to add "don't trash or tag public squat spots". For example, I was on the street in the same city for about 6 months. I had a part time job. I liked to sleep with in a 6 block radius of it. I don't like squatting with people I don't know, and I don't like to hear people walking around me when I'm trying to sleep. So I went well out of my way to make sure the spots I choose were well hidden, or seemed unlikely for any one else to go to at night. In order not to blow up my crash spots I would alternate them. I had 4 and would go to a different one every night. One night I came back to my favorite spot, and some asshole had tagged the shit out of it with a sharply and left a bunch junk food wrappers around. I couldn't get the tags off. This spot was a city owned building. It wasn't abandoned, it just wasn't in use at the time, and the city was still keeping in maintained. So obviously I couldn't afford to be caught sleeping there since it had been tagged up and I had to stop using it.


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## scuzzbucket (Sep 14, 2013)

I thought the rules of the street were more like :
1. don't ever snitch. 
2. any questions refer to rule one.
3.Never turn your back on your friends.
4. any act of cowardice will be rewarded with an ass kicking from hell.
5. do your time like a man. Suck it up and don't be a little bitch.
These are the most common rules of the street that I know. Where did you get those rules of the street? Sesame street? 
Oh ya rule 6. Don't listen to rules that oogle kids who don't know that they're oogle kids make up.


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