Darin’s Diaries Part I: My Journey Back into Housing
by DARIN THOMAS
Special Contributor, Stewpot Writers’ Workshop
This submission is part of a series. For Part II of Darin’s story, click here.
Darin Thomas smiles as he works on his piece during the Writers’ Workshop. Photos by Jesse Hornbuckle.
I hated that I lost my housing twice. It did not feel good at all being back on the street again in 2011, 10 years after I had started living in my first place in North Dallas.
I lost that townhouse after living in it three years. I had a job working for a glass company and the pay was sufficient. But the rent took up half my paycheck. When the rent increased, I didn’t have enough money to pay it. I didn’t feel like I had done anything wrong. I was working and trying to do my part.
Still, I got evicted and went to jail for two days for not paying the rent. I couldn’t fight my eviction from there. Meanwhile, the landlady, whom I I never thought liked me, put my furniture, television, and clothes out on the street.
I was without a place to live, so I had to stay with friends and family across Dallas. I slept on couches and sometimes on the streets. I kept my possessions to a minimum. Sometimes I carried them in a backpack. Other times, I kept things at my sister’s. It wasn’t cool.
Also, the company I worked for moved locations and I couldn’t get there after wrecking my car.
Several years went by before I got a second place of my own. But I never got to live there, or even get a key, because I got locked up in a state jail for stealing clothes from a store in a mall. I was desperate.
I lived in a faith-based dorm at a state jail south of Dallas. We had classes in learning life skills. As one example, we learned how to transition back into the world.
We also had classes about faith, with different people talking about their own experiences. One speaker stands out in my mind because he told us about his own story of going to prison and then redirecting his life. Learning these skills and hearing from people like him made me want to get my life back on track.
Still, losing both houses made me feel like I was under the earth. I thought I had lost my life, my family, and everything I ever had.
Now, I am trying to get housing again. The good news is that through The Stewpot’s rapid rehousing program, I will be moving into a furnished apartment in North Dallas at the end of September. It has a bedroom, living room, bath-and-a-half, and a nice kitchen. I feel joy about being in my own place again.
This time, I will do it differently and do what’s asked of me. That’s because keeping my housing means everything to me. I want to live again.
I am very excited and know what’s needed of me to keep my housing. That means having a job where I can pay my rent on time. It means keeping people out of the place who don’t belong there. And it means living my life well.
I can say one thing, when you get housing, learn to keep it. For example, don’t let people in your house that are not supposed to be there. And do what’s asked of you.
Bill McKenzie (left) volunteers at The Stewpot and supports the writers’ workshop. McKenzie is the Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute.
You don’t want to lose out on something that is good. There is nothing like waking up in your own bed, cooking your own food, and having your own bathroom.
Housing is important because we all need a place to live. If it was not for housing, many people would be living on the streets, under bridges, or in a shelter.
Women with kids especially need a place. The young ones do not need to be on the streets. It is dangerous out there.
God has given me another chance and I am very grateful for that chance. I am going to run with this opportunity.
Darin Thomas is a STREETZine vendor and participant in The Stewpot’s Writers’ Workshop.
