I find the article on homelessness in today's pjstar disturbing for many reasons. The main reason I find it so unnerving, is the information on a person called Spike:
"He was kicked out of his house and kicked out of the Marine Corps.
Now Nick, an 18-year-old man from Elgin, is homeless and jobless in Peoria.
[...]
Nick, who called himself "Spike" because of his many ear piercings, said he had even resorted to street fighting to survive.
"What I'd do is go to the gangs in my area and say, 'Hey, you give me $100 and I'll take out just about anybody,'" ... "
I am left wondering the following: What exactly does Spike mean by "take out"? Did any gang ever hire Spike for "take out"? Did Spike ever "take out" "anybody"? Could this admission alone land Spike a bed and three squares out at the County?
Hopefully, Spike will find a job and a home before he gets so hungry he decides to "take out" somebody for profit. Better yet, maybe Spike will find his way back to Elgin.
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