(SEE ACCOMPANYING REACTION TO HOMELESSNESS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT THIS .)

Where are we supposed to stay? Where are we supposed to go?

Ken Derkach asks these questions several times throughout an interview last week from the sidewalk of Alexander Street.

Personable and thoughtful during this conversation, he is referring to the predicament of people who are homeless in Salmon Arm.

Derkach says police have kicked him out of three spots in the past three weeks or so. Last week an officer told him he can香蕉视频直播檛 be within 15 metres of a bank, he says, pointing to the RBC Financial Group near him.

While he says he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 like or respect the RCMP, 香蕉视频直播渢hey香蕉视频直播檝e actually treated me fairly well.香蕉视频直播�

Bank staff, he says, are friendly.

香蕉视频直播淚 want to go up against a judge. I香蕉视频直播檓 even willing to do a little time in jail 香蕉视频直播� at least I香蕉视频直播檇 have a bed香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈��

He says he thinks the city gets the RCMP to crack down on homeless people because they香蕉视频直播檙e bad for tourism.

香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 want anybody to know we have homeless people in Salmon Arm. You have to look good香蕉视频直播� The truth is, we香蕉视频直播檙e here.香蕉视频直播�

He notes that the Salvation Army香蕉视频直播檚 Lighthouse Emergency Shelter closes from April 1 to November 1.

香蕉视频直播淲here are we supposed to go? I香蕉视频直播檓 not blaming anyone. One of my sayings is, 香蕉视频直播業t is what it is. Deal with it.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Derkach says he spent 30 years in construction, as well as working as a DJ (disc jockey).

He lived in Coquitlam and, before Salmon Arm for the past five years, Kelowna.

His eyes fill with tears when he talks about how his life went into a tailspin.

香蕉视频直播淢y wife died at 42. Brain tumour. That was kind of my downfall.香蕉视频直播�

He says he has two daughters, now 25 and 27, but he rarely sees them. Sometimes they talk on the phone.

His drinking spiralled.

香蕉视频直播淚 used to be a weekend drinker. Now it香蕉视频直播檚 pretty much every day.香蕉视频直播�

He adds, 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 cause any problems.香蕉视频直播�

Derkach now has Parkinson香蕉视频直播檚 Disease and, last year, he suffered a heart attack. He香蕉视频直播檚 53.

He points out that he holds his knees as he sits on the sidewalk so his legs don香蕉视频直播檛 shake. He also struggles with anxiety and depression.

Recently someone told him he looks thinner and more unhealthy than the last time they saw him.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the street life. I used to be about 195 pounds. Now I香蕉视频直播檓 about 140. It has to do with health and everything else. You don香蕉视频直播檛 get from 195 pounds to 140 and keep your health. I香蕉视频直播檓 intelligent enough to know that. And it香蕉视频直播檚 over the last two years. In high school I was 165, now I香蕉视频直播檓 140.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 actually feel like I香蕉视频直播檓 not long for this world,香蕉视频直播� he says, as tears well again. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 sorry. I don香蕉视频直播檛 worry about it 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 one less mouth to feed.香蕉视频直播�

Forging ahead, he says when he was 12 or 13 years old, he remembers hearing there were about two billion people on earth.

香蕉视频直播淣ow there are 7.4 billion in the world. I don香蕉视频直播檛 understand how we香蕉视频直播檙e going to take care of people.香蕉视频直播�

He says when he came here from Kelowna, he was on his way to New Brunswick.

香蕉视频直播淚 got stuck here because of the people and the atmosphere,香蕉视频直播� he says, adding people in Kelowna weren香蕉视频直播檛 friendly, whereas people in Salmon Arm are.

During the interview, a young man stops by to wish him well and give him a bottle of water. A woman also greets him and gives him a handful of change.

This year is the first he香蕉视频直播檚 had to panhandle, he says.

香蕉视频直播淭he people in this town are the best I香蕉视频直播檝e ever seen香蕉视频直播� Walking along the street, you hear 香蕉视频直播榞ood morning, good morning.香蕉视频直播� In Kelowna, you香蕉视频直播檙e trying to have a conversation at a bus stop and they look at you like you香蕉视频直播檙e crazy. People don香蕉视频直播檛 understand I香蕉视频直播檓 a sociable person, I get to meet all kinds of people.香蕉视频直播�

He says the odd person tries to verbally assault him and his friend, and they just say, 香蕉视频直播淗ave a nice day.香蕉视频直播�

He wants to rebut what he saw in a newspaper recently 香蕉视频直播� that homeless people are lazy bums. He says he used to work at the bottle depot, and tried going back after his heart attack, but he didn香蕉视频直播檛 have the energy.

Derkach grew up in Saskatoon and came to B.C. to escape the cold.

He says he is something of a social worker on the street.

I listen 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 the biggest thing. Hopefully you can give them a little bit of advice 香蕉视频直播� and maybe they follow it.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 used to call God the higher power. Since coming to Salmon Arm, I香蕉视频直播檓 actually believing in God. God is benevolent and he is real. I had a Sprite can burst in my back pack and it ruined my bible. A couple of people are going to bring me one. I like to read it. It香蕉视频直播檚 not all believable. But it inspires me to help other people and be a good man.香蕉视频直播�

What help would he like to see for people who are homeless?

香蕉视频直播淚f they have the shelter open 24/7, 365 days a year, that would help.香蕉视频直播�

He says paying rent is out of the question because it would take $2,000 to get a place, with the damage deposit, utilities and the first month香蕉视频直播檚 rent.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 why a lot of us are homeless. We just can香蕉视频直播檛 afford it香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭he RCMP say why are you here? I say, there香蕉视频直播檚 no place else to be.香蕉视频直播�