In The Shadows of Progress
Smurf has been homeless for several years. He used to be happier with his lifestyle of living in a homeless camp along the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tenn. He had a girlfriend, Teresa Gordon, a well kept camp, and several friends. Near the end of 2009, his girlfriend decided to leave the tent city to live in public housing. The couple attempted to make it work but Smurf's adjustment to Teresa being gone became hard for him. He sits in his new camp draped in a blue tarp smoking cigars, drinking beer, and talks about how he doesn't see how he can take this life anymore. "She's gone," said Smurf, "I can't take this life, not without her."
