Vendor Writing: William B.

Second Chances and where it’s gotten me in life as of today

BY WILLIAM B, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

You know how a cat has nine lives? I think I’ve had more than nine lives. All the things that have happened to me in the past mentally and physically, I would say I’ve had about 23.

Let’s put it this way, in 1995 I got pinned under a car because I didn’t realize you can’t take the drive shaft out of a car and you can’t have the wheels wedged. It rolled off the blocks I had it on and I was drug down an alley by the car. My starter was holding me. I was screaming and screaming and my son heard me screaming and yelled, “daddy’s hurt, daddy’s hurt!” They were able to get me out. I seen the Lord under there and he said, “I’m not ready for you yet. Go back.”

I also took an overdose in 1975 in Oregon. And here I am here alive because the Lord said he wasn’t ready.

I’m very happy with my church and my church family and I’m very blessed to find The Contributor newspaper They give me chances to tell my life stories and my everyday stories. I think if more people would come to The Contributor you’d see more people to get off the streets. It works for some.

I love getting out there and telling my story, and singing and playing my music. Once I got my map badge in Berry Hill, I came alive. I do this in the rain, I do this in the snow. They know that I’m really trying to get my life together.

I’m not bragging, but my life of crime started at five years old. I think it was because of TV. I watched It Takes a Thief and it was a good show, but maybe not for me. I know the hell I went through when I was on drugs and alcohol and the people I hurt. I’m not going there anymore.

I have a goal. I want to save up money and do another demo. A little bit of singing, a little bit of joking and a little bit of playing my instruments. I’ve got a scrub board! When I see a musical instrument that’s a little odd, I buy it. I’ve got a triangle, and you wouldn’t believe how many spoons I have. Probably around 75-100. I play so hard, they break and I leave them for someone to get a souvenir.

I have another goal too, I was an ordained minister in 1974 in the state prison. When I was ordained, I done a little preaching while I was in prison. When I got out, I married my baby brother and his first wife. It wasn’t my calling though. My love of my music and meeting people and telling my story is my calling.

There are three ways I'd want to go out in this world: In church, playing my spoons on the streets and singing, or in my bed at my room at Room In the Inn.

Life is not what they say. It’s not really a bowl of cherries. Life is what you make of it, and I think I’ve made quite a bit of my life. And I can only do better.