Peew ee’s Lost List
by Justin "Peewee" Sturge
Of all the things I’ve lost
I’ve made this here list
You’ve paid the cost
So here’s the gist
1. That watch I lost
Right off my wrist
2. Many lures I’ve lost
From casts I’d missed
3. Many close friends I’ve lost
Not forgotten but sorely missed
4. The beautiful lovers I’ve lost
When ‘twas homewreckers I’d kissed
5. Few fights I’ve lost
When enemies got pissed
6. That puppy I lost
In a trapper’s snare twist
Of all the things I’ve lost
on this here list
I’ve told you before
Since you’ve paid the cost, here’s the gist
My dignity and mind can’t be lost
It’s not on my list
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ne of the first things Rich Boam does
is show me a letter he wrote to
Mayor Wheeler. It’s a good letter;
eloquent, persuasive, well considered
little jaded. This is as good an introduction
as I could have asked to the man. With his
rich baritone and expressive articulate
speaking style he seems destined to find
fame as a radio host or round table news
presenter. Right now, he’s just trying to get
one foot in front of the other.
“I’m a smart guy, and I can run with
whatever I’m given, but I got nothing,” he
said. “I have some medical things that need
to be done, and if I had housing I could run
with it, I know I could.”
Rich is a life-long Oregonian, or close
enough. He moved to the area as a child,
attending Capitol Elementary School, and
later high school in Vernonia and St Paul.
After 46 years in the region, Rich, like many
of us, has noticed some changes.
“The Portland I knew when I was 12 and
the Portland I know now is not the same.
And it’s not fair to think that it would be,
but it doesn’t have the substance that I
thought it would have.”
“What Portland’s doing right now is just
giving a bunch of lip service until the crowd
is moved from one place to the next place.
I’m not saying anything that people already
don’t know. It does mean that it’s fairly
evident that nothing is going to be done
except a lot of talk.“
Rich has been a musician for almost as
long as he’s been an Oregonian, starting in
elementary school.
“The pep band did a version of ‘Hawaii
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BY ALEX GILLOW-WILES
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R
month but I can’t find a place in town,” he
said. “I’ve gone everywhere. There’s no
opportunities. I’m just doing what I’m doing
until I go someplace where I can.”
When asked about the paper, Rich turns
positive.
“As long as I have a product I can stand
behind I’m cool. I’m good with that. That
makes it bearable to be out there. I have
some of the most interesting conversations
with the people out there that would
surprise you.”
“It keeps you from stereotyping,” Rich
said. “I really think that’s important. You
find out just how diverse this city is. I don’t
know where these people are hiding
s because I don’t hear their voice, but
! they’re out there, they’re nice people
to talk to. Like I said, it’s a paper that I
| can read and stand behind. That’s the
only reason I can sell it.”
P
One thing he would like to see
Portland improve on: mental health
services.
“I think the mentally ill that are on
the streets right now, if they
were taken care of in a
different way -
hospital, whatever
needs to be done -
then the homeless
population wouldn’t
be as bad as it is.”
“If those people
fwere dealt with in a
Iproper manner, then
| giving the homeless
la place to stay
I would be more
manageable, more
viable.”
Say hello to Rich at
his sales turf, outside
| Walgreens on Northeast
Weidler Street and Grand
lAvenue.
0
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Richard Boam
Five-0’ and this guy had a full drum set. I
was in awe. I said ‘that’s what I want to d o .
My parents got a little practice pad and I
took to it and took to it well. I made first
chair when I was 12 and never looked back.
I played professionally in Portland with a
few bands, nothing that ever made it too
big, but some bands that went around
Portland from 84-89.”
“Then, because I lived in an apartment
and they frown on drums, I picked up a
guitar. I’ve been playing guitar for about 18
and a
years and I’m pretty good. It’s easier to
write songs on a guitar than on
drums so that helps out. I’ve
dabbled here and played with
a couple guys here and
there over the years.”
Even music is impacted
by housing status, though.
When I ask if he is likely to
be playing anywhere soon, he
sighs.
“People don’t realize, if you
don’t have a home to come
from, everything is
exponentially harder.
Where am I
gonna put a
guitar?”
This is a
recurring
theme in the
conversation:
how
important
just a small
service can
be, a place
to start. Rich
even has a
rent stipend
coming in, but it
hasn’t helped with
housing.
“I get $545 a
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Street Roots • July 21-27, 2017
Vendors
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