The first week was spent around this area of downtown, this Santa Monica Blvd. Nothing shut down at night, people were always out. And there were several shelters that I could pass between, making it harder to be recognised by the staff. The second night in the shelter almost blew the cover real quick. I checked in and started heading off to the women’s side instead of the men’s. They called me on it, I got flustered, made some lame attempt at an excuse of not paying attention. Nothing was said, but I knew they saw through it. I never went back to that shelter. Couldn’t have them knowing the girl-pretending-to-be-boy who was also clearly a minor by sight the next time I stayed there. That was like giving yourself to social services.

The week ended, and I remember sitting at this coffee shop that I had been frequenting that week, killing time with lukewarm, but free, refills. Some guy I had seen on many occasions that week sitting down next to me, offering a cigarette. We chatted, both vague, neither showing their hand. Eventually he offered a place to crash, some abandoned warehouse in the area that a bunch of street kids squatted at. No questions, no risk of social services. I accepted. Thus began my true education of life on the streets of LA.

The next couple of months involved running drugs, begging on corners for change, playing lookout on petty theft, or doing the petty theft. Food was the main object for thieving. But what I quickly learned, street kids look out for other street kids. We didn’t trust anyone in the group, but when you stole a loaf of bread, you shared that loaf, as did someone else when they stole it. It was a society of unwritten but strictly abided by rules. Lots of the guys kept trying to push me into joining them on their corner of Santa Monica. Promised me real money. “With a face like yours, they will line up to have you for a date.” I kept saying no, couldn’t risk it. What would the johns do if their little trick was discovered without a dick? But it took one slip and I wasn’t really left with too many other options.