Some people brought me to Townsville from Bundaberg and abandoned me. That's how I ended up living on the streets.
It was scary because I was drinking and I'd just go to sleep anywhere. I used to sleep in bushes on the Strand.
When I was drunk they'd beat me up, take my smokes, take my money and left me with nothing. You've got to sleep with one eye open and one eye shut. I can't remember much: I've got memory loss.
When I was hungry I'd eat out of rubbish bins. If I had some money I'd buy frozen pies from the supermarket and eat them frozen. I had no choice, I just had to do it. I was so hungry.
I was drinking methylated spirits. I used to drink it seven days a week non-stop. Not eating, not taking my medication. I'd drink half a bottle one day and the rest the next day. It was cheap to buy. Only $4.35 a bottle.
I thought I had nothing to live for. I kept on saying to myself, "no-one needs me, no-one loves me, nobody wants to help me".
I just wanted to drink metho. It wasn't helping me at all. It was making me sick. It's got poison written on the bottle and I was stupid enough to go and buy it. I just wanted to escape.
Anglicare brought me to the Townsville Aboriginal Islanders Health Service centre. At first I found it hard to trust people who wanted to help me. Now I realise I can trust them.
It's good at the centre. You get good meals, your own soft bed, showers, toilets ... I want to stay here. I feel safe here.
I sit around and talk to the other guys. I like doing work around the yard, tidying up the place.
I'm not drinking anymore. My game's over. I've got cirrhosis of the liver. If kept drinking metho I would have been dead.
It's been four weeks since I had a drink and I feel much better. My life's coming good now.
