I was born in Coffs Harbour. I haven’t been back since then, and I don’t have many memories from it anymore. Only too many bad memories. When I was younger, I was not really happy. I’ve been living out of home since I was 13, and I was homeless on the streets when I was 15, 16. I left school in the first two weeks of Year 10. I’ve been through more than most people, but not everyone. Things started to change when I got my own place through Barnardos when I was 17.
Seven months ago, I was in a car accident. I don’t drive because I have a lack of concentration from my physical disability and learning disability. But I was with my support worker and another driver smacked into our car headfirst.
I don’t remember one second of it. You want to remember but your body’s not letting you remember. I was only in hospital for 10-and-a-half hours: I had no broken bones, no bleeding, but there was some nerve damage on my left knee. I’ve only been working two to four hours a day, and I’m still in a bit of pain here and there when I’ve been standing up for too long on my pitch.
I go to exercise with a personal trainer five days a week. If I go by myself, I push too hard past my limit and hurt myself: it’s nice to have someone to help you. Safety has to come first, so you don’t have an accident. I also go bowling every Saturday morning in the league for two-and-a-half hours, and I like playing minigolf.
I first heard about The Big Issue when I was looking for work, 18 years ago. Things have been getting a lot better since I’ve been a vendor. Independence is really important to me, to avoid being stuck at home doing nothing.
The best thing about selling The Big Issue is you get to meet lots of people, and you can work whenever: it’s nice and flexible. I also get to stir people up, trick them…in a respectful manner! I like to stir people on a Monday by asking them, “Guess what today is? Back to work – five more days until the weekend!” Most people like it, but sometimes you pick the wrong person and they just look at you weird and keep on walking.
My target is to be the biggest seller of the calendar in Canberra, every single year without fail. Two years ago, I sold 500 calendars. Last year I sold 750, that was my target. This year my target is 1000!
I’m slowly saving up where I can. I do my best to put money away each fortnight, but then the car accident happened. It’s important to save up, in case I get sick again and have to go to hospital. One day I’m hoping to have my own home, which will take a while. I might get there when I’m in my forties hopefully: it’ll be worth it in the long run.
Grant sells The Big Issue in Gungahlin and Woden, Canberra
Interview by Eliza Janssen
Photo by Rohan Thomson
Published in Ed#724