Essays: From the Streets: Penny - Magdalene House
![My name is Penny. I’ve been homeless since 1995. I got into some abusive relationships, got into drugs and alcohol, mostly alcohol. Well my mother, she died, so that took my place to live with her ,so I ended up livin’ here and there and yonder the best I could. Then I went into treatment, and the program here and luckily I got accepted.I been drinkin’ since I was – maybe eleven. You see my mom and daddy owned beer joints when I was a child and they took me to beer joints when we were four or five. I remember drinkin’ maybe once every now and then but I wasn’t an alcoholic then. When the bar closed and they were cleanin’ up they’d say “ you want a beer” and we’d say “yeah”, we just thought we were big.When I was [prostituting] I had my regulars that would pick me up and I didn’t walk the streets all that much. I got a few women into prostitution, like I’d get paid to get them tricks. It was just a hard life you know --chaos. Never know if you’re gonna turn a corner and get shot or robbed, anything.I’m glad it’s behind me, but they say never forget where you come from because you can always end up back there. We think about that last miserable moment and that keeps us from wanting to go back out there.When I first got [to the Magdalene House] it was like I was part of a family, like they’d been knowing me for years…we try to stick together and help one another.](http://www.matthewwilliamsphotography.com/content/photos/magdalene-5.jpg)
Penny - Magdalene House
My name is Penny. I’ve been homeless since 1995. I got into some abusive relationships, got into drugs and alcohol, mostly alcohol. Well my mother, she died, so that took my place to live with her ,so I ended up livin’ here and there and yonder the best I could. Then I went into treatment, and the program here and luckily I got accepted.
I been drinkin’ since I was – maybe eleven. You see my mom and daddy owned beer joints when I was a child and they took me to beer joints when we were four or five. I remember drinkin’ maybe once every now and then but I wasn’t an alcoholic then. When the bar closed and they were cleanin’ up they’d say “ you want a beer” and we’d say “yeah”, we just thought we were big.
When I was [prostituting] I had my regulars that would pick me up and I didn’t walk the streets all that much. I got a few women into prostitution, like I’d get paid to get them tricks. It was just a hard life you know --chaos. Never know if you’re gonna turn a corner and get shot or robbed, anything.
I’m glad it’s behind me, but they say never forget where you come from because you can always end up back there. We think about that last miserable moment and that keeps us from wanting to go back out there.
When I first got [to the Magdalene House] it was like I was part of a family, like they’d been knowing me for years…we try to stick together and help one another.
My name is Penny. I’ve been homeless since 1995. I got into some abusive relationships, got into drugs and alcohol, mostly alcohol. Well my mother, she died, so that took my place to live with her ,so I ended up livin’ here and there and yonder the best I could. Then I went into treatment, and the program here and luckily I got accepted.
I been drinkin’ since I was – maybe eleven. You see my mom and daddy owned beer joints when I was a child and they took me to beer joints when we were four or five. I remember drinkin’ maybe once every now and then but I wasn’t an alcoholic then. When the bar closed and they were cleanin’ up they’d say “ you want a beer” and we’d say “yeah”, we just thought we were big.
When I was [prostituting] I had my regulars that would pick me up and I didn’t walk the streets all that much. I got a few women into prostitution, like I’d get paid to get them tricks. It was just a hard life you know --chaos. Never know if you’re gonna turn a corner and get shot or robbed, anything.
I’m glad it’s behind me, but they say never forget where you come from because you can always end up back there. We think about that last miserable moment and that keeps us from wanting to go back out there.
When I first got [to the Magdalene House] it was like I was part of a family, like they’d been knowing me for years…we try to stick together and help one another.
Images ©Matthew Williams 2008. Portfolio design by Neon Sky.