Michael O'connor

"Kind Mike" My Life on the Street: a True Life Adventure Story. Michael O'connor

"Kind Mike" my Life on The Street is a True life adventure story. It is written in short chapter, journal form for your easy, enjoyable and hopefully exciting reading. As you can see from the cover we visited my old home on The Street for a photo session. Yes, that is me on the cover, May 2011. I am standing on the island in the middle of Buffalo Speedway, with my red cap on, like I did for all those mornings selling the Houston Post newspapers, gazing at the top of beautiful Phoenix Towers. Although for the last 15 years I have lived only 40 blocks from my street home area I have not really visited there but once. I can tell you one thing for sure, it isn't fun to go back. I am full of Gratefulness I don't live out there anymore. But so many things came to my mind, my dog Dot, my really close newspaper customers and singing under the underpass with my friends. There was really a deep sadness. Yes, it was quite an emotional visit for me. The Denny's and Rodeway Inn are now gone, a Comerica Bank is there now. The field behind the Exxon with the Oak tree is now a condominium complex. The alcove where old man Billy and I stayed is torn down, the field where my lean to was set up is now a Chase Bank. I guess the old saying, "You can't go back home", holds true even if that home was The Street. Have you ever wondered how we street people really lived? How we got by in all kinds of weather? Why were we out there anyway? In this true story I am trying to take you out there with me to experience for yourself how we lived day after day and night after night. Please come join me on this adventure. If you drink and smoke it would sure help if you could bring your own. $1.00 from each "Kind Mike" book purchased at retail from Amazon.com will go to SEARCH Homeless Services to show my appreciation and gratefulness to SEARCH, the organization that helps the homeless here in Houston TX, for all of the help they brought to all of us Street People out at Buffalo Speedway and Highway 59 South. As you will read in this book, they helped us greatly.