VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

CHARLES S. SMILES AMID THE ROCKY ROAD

BY HANNAH HERNER

Charles S. is just waiting for someone to challenge him to a game of pool. If you did, he’d bring his own cue, and he’d probably win. He used to enter competitions and earn money playing pool, and these days he stays brushed up on his skills just for fun.

He’s a man of many nicknames — “Shorty” is one he picked up at a pool hall, and “Pee Wee” is another. He’s had many professions: He worked at KFC, did custodial work at Bridgestone Arena and Municipal Auditorium and cut grass. He also used to be called “Car Wash,” as his favorite job was car detailing, and he even traveled and trained others in it.

One job he would have liked to try is Alaskan king crab fishing. He enjoys watching shows about Alaska.

Charles grew up in public housing in West Nashville, one of four brothers and one sister. Even in relatively tight quarters, his family had a lot of pets — a snake, dogs, cats, Easter chickens, a parrot, ducks. The next pets he’d like to have as an adult are a ferret and an iguana.

After his dad passed at a young age, he was raised by a single mom, and over the years remained closest to his sister, who passed away a few years ago. He imagines these important women in his family

looking down on him as he greets customers while selling papers.

“Not only my mom, but my grandma, all of them that have passed, they taught us respect, smile, treat everybody with kindness, and treat everybody the same, no matter what color they are. He says. “You treat them with kindness and smile. Some things people might say that hurt you, just smile and walk away.”

For someone with such a cheerful demeanor, it may be surprising to learn that Charles’ favorite music is the blues. He loves artists like Muddy Waters and BB King.

His favorite spot to sell is West End Avenue and 31st Ave South.

“I love doing The Contributor, I have a lot of customers that tell me to keep up the good work. They’ll pull out of one lane way over where I am just to get a paper. It feels good, you don’t know how good it feels,” Charles says. “I got a lot of good support. I wouldn’t trade West End for nothing in the world.”

After eight years on the streets, Charles got into a temporary apartment this winter. He looks forward to moving into a more permanent space this year.

He says, “Life has been a rocky road, up and down, up and down, good, bad, good, bad, but I got that man upstairs, God, with me the whole time. I’ve been surviving with The Contributor and him.”

In the future, Charles imagines a house with an extra bedroom, so he can put in a pool table, a flat screen TV, a little bar and a mini fridge with cold drinks.

“If I make a plan or say, ‘here’s my goal, this is what I want to do,’ it never turns out. I just wait until my opportunity comes, and then I make the best out of it. “I’ve learned to just accept life as it is,” he says. “I’m very blessed, and can’t nobody can take that from me.”