What do you see when you look at this picture? Do you see a man and a food cart, the hot dog guy? Or perhaps you do not see him at all? At what level in life do people come into your focus? When do you recognise an entrepreneur? When he is on tour selling his idea of success to you for $20.99 for a copy of his ‘How to be like me’ book, follow his plan and ideals and you too could have his dream lifestyle or when he is standing behind a smoking food truck offering you a tasty hotdog for $2.
Who do you respect more?
When I saw my next subject I was drawn to his appearance, his anonymity. Sometimes I see the people that many overlook and feel compelled to speak to them.
Is he happy, is this the life he has chosen to lead? What’s his story?
Name: Dale
Occupation: Hot Dog Stand Proprietor
1.Where were you born and raised?
Claremont, Florida
‘My Dad, who’s no longer here, was a preacher. We were raised up in a church pretty much. I had 12 brothers and 5 sisters from the same parents. It was complicated at times. They had a lot of Faith and no welfare assistance. It wasn’t easy, a lot of times we went to school with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. There was lots of tough love in our house’
2.Tell me a childhood memory.
‘My parents told me not to go fishing, we had a little creek opposite our house, they told me not to go fishing on Sundays. I snuck and went fishing and got a hook stuck in my leg. They had to take me to the hospital to have it removed.’
3.What is your favourite season and why?
‘I like this time of year, springtime, cause its beautiful, its a good time to travel, you can do a lot this time of year.’
4.Tell me about someone you love.
I love my wife, we’ve been together for 28 years, we’ve been married 23 years. I have actually 8 kids. Cookie, (Renata) we call her Cookie, Tamikia, Dale Jnr, Marcus, Charles, Billy D, Taria and Denzel Williams. ‘I named my kids after stars, I try to give them a little push and I told them I already set you up.’
‘My wife, she never gives up. She was a cheerleader in High School, one of the football players said once even though we lost the game she was still cheering. She has that don’t give up spirit. Her name is Tina, she is a nurse, she works hard.’
5.What words of wisdom do you have for the reader about life?
‘Life is just inhale and exhale, just breathe.’
6.Dreams for the future?
‘Increase my business & open up jobs for people. If you can hustle for yourself you can do that for others. My goal is to be that entrepreneur and just spread it.’
Dale was an interesting guy. I can imagine his childhood was difficult. I would want to go fishing too if I had 17 siblings at home vying for attention and making all that noise! I’m sure this man as a child saw the back of his parents hand often too, I’m not judging them for that it was the way it was and still is for some but I bet they had a lot for respect for their parents, I didn’t hear a bad word today.
He’s doing his best right now, I’m sure there have been many jobs for Dale and perhaps a few haven’t worked out. I imagine there are no fancy cars on the driveway and money is tight for his family but they are both working and doing what they can to support their family. Part of me feels like to have so many children may be irresponsible and the other part of me imagines all the love they must have. Who am I to say how many kids is enough, money isn’t what raises a family, love is.
There are many families with all the mod cons, the private education, the latest in techno wizardry, that seemingly possess everything but are missing the fundamentals like emotional attachment, intimacy and sometimes any love, or at least any communicated love.
From both sides of the street we judge and compare. We are just different in appearance but we sound the same when asked the same questions.
Tell me about someone you love…its the same language for just about everyone.
Dale and I talked for a while about the church, families our life beliefs. It was easy talking to him, can you imagine sitting down and having a coffee with this guy and talking about life? There can be no more interesting conversation than to talk to someone who doesn’t live in your world, it fascinates me. I’ve lived through both spectrums, I have seen a little of what Dale sees and now my life is vey different but I appreciate both and truly believe neither is better, different, easier in some ways for him and easier in others for me.
I’m left with an image of all the kids…do you remember The Waltons? Well yes, it looks a little like that..Goodnight Cookie…Tamikia..Dale Jnr….
