As I entered Flea Market USA for my last listening post, I waited for Hazel Rodriguez. In the meantime, I sat down in a chair and waited by the food stands. Some stores in the flea market were just opening. As I sat and waited, I noticed a black man looking at me. I was kind of tense because he kept on staring like if he wanted to approach me. He was some what tall, with dreads and with gold fangs. I was skeptical about acknowledging him in front of me, but I did. I would have never approached him if I wasn’t a journalism student. Being able to speak to this person allowed me to discover a side of him that I wouldn’t have known if he didn’t come up to me. His cross necklace caught my attention as I wondered how religious he was.
I met Junior Louis who is 21 years old. I asked Louis what he was doing at the flea market, and he told me that he wanted to buy clothes before going to Islands of Adventure. Louis prefers shopping at the flea market because he likes bargains.
Louis lives in Miami Shores with two roommates, two guys. Louis met his roommates when he visited Miami from Orlando. He mentioned his situation and how he wanted to live here, and they agreed to it. Louis was born in Miami. He lived in Miami till he was 12 years old and then left to Orlando. Louis likes Orlando better than Miami, but he says there are better living conditions in Miami. In February of this year, Louis came back to his hometown, Miami.
Louis’ dad lives in Miami and his mom lives in Orlando. His mom lives with his younger brother and sister. His mom used to work at the airport in Orlando, but she is currently working as a nurse. She takes care of the elders in the area. When Louis lived with his mother, he did not have as much responsibilities. Louis, his mother, and his siblings lived in the Metro west area.
Louis told me that his parents got separated before he left to Orlando at the age of 12. His dad was abusive, and he didn’t know what to do about it when he was young. His dad used to drink often. It affected him having to see his mom go through it. Because of his father’s abusive behavior, Louis now knows what to do, what not to do and what’s right and wrong. He still keeps in contact with both of his parents. He says that his dad is a better man, and he explains that he changed. It took him long enough to change. His father’s temper problems caused him to beat the children every other day. Today, the slight absence of alcohol has allowed Louis’ dad to be calmer and laid back.
Louis has three sisters and a brother and when one got in trouble, everybody used to get a whopping from his father. Louis says that sometimes he did not want to be around him, see his face. He had hatred towards him. His father made Louis feel that he was a mistake when he was younger. He would call him stupid, good for nothing. His father would take his anger out on him and his sisters and brother. Louis says that he was a smart child in school, and besides his intelligence, his father used to bring him down.
Louis has grown to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. His older brother and sister live in Miami. He barely sees them. They don’t call him, and he doesn’t call them. Louis will hear from his siblings living in Orlando every other month. At times, he calls them, and their phone is disconnected. He doesn’t hear from them that often as well. His older brother has children, but is not married. Last time he spoke to his older sister, she was at their aunt’s house.
Louis is currently attending Everest Institute. He wants to graduate with a surgical technician degree, and he is expected to graduate in 2010. He is currently working at Target as a cashier. He says he has to smile and communicate well in his job. He would like to be a team leader or manager one day. Once Louis graduates from school, he would like to leave Target.
Louis has trust issues with people because he wonders whether or not he can trust them. He had friends from high school that have changed a lot from when he first met them.
Junior Louis was born at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. He lived most of his life near Miami Shores and went to elementary school in Miami. Biscayne Gardens Elementary, Phyllis Ruth Miller and Elementary Ruth K. Broad/Bay Harbor K-8 Center are the elementary schools that Louis attended. Louis attended a middle school at Orlando, and the high school he went to is Ridge Community High School at Davenport, Florida. He also went to Haines City High School at Haines City, Florida.
Louis has no children, and he is not married. His only serious relationship was a four year relationship in high school. They both went separate ways, but he has learned and changed.
While in Orlando, Louis was involved with the Army National Guard as a part-time signal supporter. After high school, Louis did his training, which involved a lot of physical exercises. He had to report once a month to the unit. Louis used to set up satellite antennas, communication radios, and he used to troubleshoot computer software and hardware. Louis has a contract of 8 years. He was active for 4 years, meaning he had to report and drill once a month for a week. He is in the last 4 years of the contract and is inactive, meaning he doesn’t have to report, but if he is called, he has to go to war. Louis enjoyed his experience at the Army National Guard because he met people from different states and countries. He likes interacting with a diversity of people.
Louis explains to me that in high school he had an influential experience when he was doing community service hours. He made an impact on the children’s lives for the better by tutoring them at their school.
Junior Louis describes himself as a kindhearted person, nice and respectful. He says that makes him different from everyone else. If Louis sees a homeless person, he buys them some food and gives them money. He says that he doesn’t know what the person’s situation is like.
In regards to religion, Louis says he is not religious, but he does believe in God. He believes that religion is something that keeps people under control. His mom raised them within the Catholic religion, but while in Orlando, she attended Christian churches and converted herself into the Christian religion.
Louis’ hobbies include listening to music, poetry, drawing, going to the beach and playing football.
I met once more with Hazel Rodriguez, and she informed me that she had to find a job meanwhile because she had to leave the salon until next month. Hazel is claiming her weeks for unemployment for about a year now, and the money from the unemployment has been helping her to manage with the rent and the light. Hazel’s ex-husband doesn’t send her money often. If her ex-husband does send her money, she uses it for her expenses. She mainly is dependent on her unemployment money.
I met Junior Louis who is 21 years old. I asked Louis what he was doing at the flea market, and he told me that he wanted to buy clothes before going to Islands of Adventure. Louis prefers shopping at the flea market because he likes bargains.
Louis lives in Miami Shores with two roommates, two guys. Louis met his roommates when he visited Miami from Orlando. He mentioned his situation and how he wanted to live here, and they agreed to it. Louis was born in Miami. He lived in Miami till he was 12 years old and then left to Orlando. Louis likes Orlando better than Miami, but he says there are better living conditions in Miami. In February of this year, Louis came back to his hometown, Miami.
Louis’ dad lives in Miami and his mom lives in Orlando. His mom lives with his younger brother and sister. His mom used to work at the airport in Orlando, but she is currently working as a nurse. She takes care of the elders in the area. When Louis lived with his mother, he did not have as much responsibilities. Louis, his mother, and his siblings lived in the Metro west area.
Louis told me that his parents got separated before he left to Orlando at the age of 12. His dad was abusive, and he didn’t know what to do about it when he was young. His dad used to drink often. It affected him having to see his mom go through it. Because of his father’s abusive behavior, Louis now knows what to do, what not to do and what’s right and wrong. He still keeps in contact with both of his parents. He says that his dad is a better man, and he explains that he changed. It took him long enough to change. His father’s temper problems caused him to beat the children every other day. Today, the slight absence of alcohol has allowed Louis’ dad to be calmer and laid back.
Louis has three sisters and a brother and when one got in trouble, everybody used to get a whopping from his father. Louis says that sometimes he did not want to be around him, see his face. He had hatred towards him. His father made Louis feel that he was a mistake when he was younger. He would call him stupid, good for nothing. His father would take his anger out on him and his sisters and brother. Louis says that he was a smart child in school, and besides his intelligence, his father used to bring him down.
Louis has grown to leave the past in the past and focus on the future. His older brother and sister live in Miami. He barely sees them. They don’t call him, and he doesn’t call them. Louis will hear from his siblings living in Orlando every other month. At times, he calls them, and their phone is disconnected. He doesn’t hear from them that often as well. His older brother has children, but is not married. Last time he spoke to his older sister, she was at their aunt’s house.
Louis is currently attending Everest Institute. He wants to graduate with a surgical technician degree, and he is expected to graduate in 2010. He is currently working at Target as a cashier. He says he has to smile and communicate well in his job. He would like to be a team leader or manager one day. Once Louis graduates from school, he would like to leave Target.
Louis has trust issues with people because he wonders whether or not he can trust them. He had friends from high school that have changed a lot from when he first met them.
Junior Louis was born at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. He lived most of his life near Miami Shores and went to elementary school in Miami. Biscayne Gardens Elementary, Phyllis Ruth Miller and Elementary Ruth K. Broad/Bay Harbor K-8 Center are the elementary schools that Louis attended. Louis attended a middle school at Orlando, and the high school he went to is Ridge Community High School at Davenport, Florida. He also went to Haines City High School at Haines City, Florida.
Louis has no children, and he is not married. His only serious relationship was a four year relationship in high school. They both went separate ways, but he has learned and changed.
While in Orlando, Louis was involved with the Army National Guard as a part-time signal supporter. After high school, Louis did his training, which involved a lot of physical exercises. He had to report once a month to the unit. Louis used to set up satellite antennas, communication radios, and he used to troubleshoot computer software and hardware. Louis has a contract of 8 years. He was active for 4 years, meaning he had to report and drill once a month for a week. He is in the last 4 years of the contract and is inactive, meaning he doesn’t have to report, but if he is called, he has to go to war. Louis enjoyed his experience at the Army National Guard because he met people from different states and countries. He likes interacting with a diversity of people.
Louis explains to me that in high school he had an influential experience when he was doing community service hours. He made an impact on the children’s lives for the better by tutoring them at their school.
Junior Louis describes himself as a kindhearted person, nice and respectful. He says that makes him different from everyone else. If Louis sees a homeless person, he buys them some food and gives them money. He says that he doesn’t know what the person’s situation is like.
In regards to religion, Louis says he is not religious, but he does believe in God. He believes that religion is something that keeps people under control. His mom raised them within the Catholic religion, but while in Orlando, she attended Christian churches and converted herself into the Christian religion.
Louis’ hobbies include listening to music, poetry, drawing, going to the beach and playing football.
I met once more with Hazel Rodriguez, and she informed me that she had to find a job meanwhile because she had to leave the salon until next month. Hazel is claiming her weeks for unemployment for about a year now, and the money from the unemployment has been helping her to manage with the rent and the light. Hazel’s ex-husband doesn’t send her money often. If her ex-husband does send her money, she uses it for her expenses. She mainly is dependent on her unemployment money.
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