Melissa: You stayed out on the back porches?

Millie Murray: Yeah. And the front porches too. We didn’t dare go inside because sometimes there was no floor. You were lucky to see the door open but you were afraid that there was no floor, you could step and then go down to the no man’s land--kill yourself, probably. It’s a wonder those fellas that was drinkin’ didn’t get hurt.

M: Was there a whole group of you or was it just you and Dad?

Millie: No. Dad [Tom] and I, and there’s another lady - and her friend there. They kept arguin’ so much, I’d say, “The police are gonna come here, so just calm down a little so they won’t, you know, come there.” And after a while, some fellas found out we were there and they used to come and - yell and holler. So, I said, “We’d better get outa here again, let them stay here.” So, we moved to another place.

I used to go to the priest’s house all the time and get food for Dad and I - or we’d starve. I liked to make sure that he ate ’cause I knew I could take it, but (I could) see that he was gettin’ weaker and weaker - oh, we gotta do somethin’ about him.

M: Were you worried about him?

Millie: Oh, yuh, afraid that I might find him dead beside me somethin’--but he had to go to a house of shelter - pick Pine Street - cause he was losin’ weight--he was sick. So they took ’im.

M: Must have been a hard life.

Millie: But I’d do it all over again if I had him.

M: How come you went right to work at Pine Street, Millie?

Millie: I don’t know. I asked ’em if I could work there. After a short time, they said, “Would you like to work here?” I said, “Sure. I love to make beds.” They said, “Make beds? We need you.” I like to make beds. A lotta them don’t, but I do. Do you? (Laughs.)

M: No. I don’t. Tell me a little bit about Pine Street, what it’s like living at Pine Street.

Millie: Beautiful. I like strippin’, I mean, the beds. I’ll be makin’ those beds till I’m a hundred.

M: Were you afraid when you were out on the streets?

Millie: No.

M: Were times different then? Was it less dangerous?

Millie: Oh, sure, if you’d meet somebody, they’d say, “Hi. How are you? You all right? You got some money get somethin’ to eat?” Or somethin’ like that. Never, “Gimme your ring. Gimmee your watch. Got any money?” Dad got hurt once. That’s when they cut his arm. I think they pulled him in to some doors in some alleyway, cut his arm BIG. I got him to a hospital and they hadda stitch it up. He was never able to use that arm afterwards.

M: But that’s the only dangerous thing that happened?

Millie: Yuh. I pity them in the street now. Oh, they can come to Pine Street and they’re sure to help ’em. They try to get you situated somewhere along the way. Pine Street’s done a lot for everybody.

M: Would you have gone to a shelter?

Millie: Oh, sure, if we knew there was one. How long did you know Pine Street?

M: Since ’83. Tell me one more thing about talking to Dad every night. What do you say?

Millie: Tell him to come back. Or be happy, I know he can’t come back. (Little laugh.) I know he’s happy with the Lord. We’ll all be happy with the Lord. Still a long wait. I gotta strip some more.

M: So, what do you say to Dad at night?

Millie: I miss ’im. I love ’im. Some sweet day I’ll be there.

Millie Murray. Interviewed at my house in Chelsea. 1990. Millie is on live-in staff at Pine Street Inn and works everyday.