Germination (Feast of Weeds Book 1): A Novella

Everyone's an Oogle at First

Posted August 10th at 6:46PM on Do More Than Survive: How to thrive as a Runaway

What my stepdad did to me, it made me stronger. People call me a miracle kid because of all the stuff I've already survived. People are always surprised at how happy I am about life still. Everything done to me has made me stronger.

He was doing cocaine-that was when I was, like, ten or something. My mom had me change my last name because they wanted to be a family or something. So I changed my name. I still have that name right now. It pisses me off because he would slam my head into the wall.

I don't think about it except you should know-I thought I knew everything to survive on the street since I'd pretty much been surviving on my own in that house for years already.

It doesn't matter how street smart you think you are. When you first become a street rat you're really just an oogle, which just means you're new to the street and stupid because you don't know the rules yet.

Until proven otherwise, other street kids are going to think you ran away from your trust fund, or because you think it's cool-basically, you're a poser. Accept it.

If you stay on the street long enough, you'll earn some street cred. But a tweeker never stays anything but an oogle.

I tell social workers I didn't run from my family, I ran to my family. But be careful about who you get help from. There are real sociopaths and murderers and abusers out there, those are the monsters you should worry about, not the ones the newspapers try to scare you about.

I'd say don't be an oogle, but you won't be able to help it. Learn from others-street kids stick together. There will always be someone willing to show you how things are done.

In the meantime, here are a few basic tips to get you started until you find your street family:

Stay clean. That's first. Clean hands, clean clothes. You're a dead giveaway and probably going to get the police or CPS called on you if you're dirty. There are water fountains, public restrooms at colleges and libraries, house hoses (watch out for dogs), water fountains, creeks (but watch out for pesticide runoff). No excuses.

If you're spanging, that's different. When you beg for money, it's important to show your customers a little dirt otherwise they won't feel good about giving you the cash. Also, spanging sucks. Everyone hates you, even those who give you money or food. It's the worst part, but it's the easiest and safest way to make some cash.

Thrift stores are good for changing into a cheap and clean set of clothes. Don't be a jerk-actually buy the clothes.

Get enough cash to buy a gym membership. Go in for a family plan with friends. Make sure and hold out for a great deal. For less than a $1 a day you can get access to bathrooms, hot water, showers, saunas, pools, and games 24/7 so you can stay clean and avoid getting picked up. This is my best tip because then you won't ever feel pressured to have sex with someone because they have a shower or a warm place to stay.

Get to know another runaway who has a car. Now you have a moving home and pretty good protection while you sleep. You can park the car in lots more places without being noticed than if you didn't have one. Plus it's nice being able to travel without watching the train schedules. You'll get to have favorite cities and favorite seasons in those cities. You'll stay in one place for a while and then just decide one morning to travel clear across the country to your other favorite city.

Don't blow all your cash on alcohol and drugs. I know a lot of you will, no matter what I say-even those of you who think that will never be them-because that's how me and my friends lived for a while. Just know that if you do, then you become trapped like all the 9-to-5 wage slaves you're supposed to be better than.

Don't ever feel like you'll worry about food. Americans waste so much food it's kinda evil. If you spend cash on food you're wasting your money. I'm a vegetarian and have never had any problems getting food I could eat, as long as I was staying in a city. It's called dumpster love. You'll see.

If you want to get picked up, or you're making a moral statement against consumerism, or you are sticking it to the world, then do the opposite of all the above.

But you better stay out of my way cause if you get me caught, me and my friends will come at you with smileys* and we won't feel bad about it for more than a minute.

*For you oogles out there, a smiley is a weapon made out of a bike chain and duct tape, or a chain and a combo lock, or a bandana and a lock, or really anything close by that would hurt someone if you swung it at them.

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Parts will be posted once per week on Fridays. If you are enjoying Germination (Book 1), check out www.ZombiesAreHuman.com for free reads and sneak peeks.