Shoeshine Brian
By Simone Baird
Who you? I’m Shoeshine Brian. I shine shoes in Pitt Street Mall.
Business good? I do eight pairs a day, maybe ten. People are so self-conscious, they think they’re taking advantage of me. That’s why I struggle. I get men in suits who have their shoes shined and then say they’ve left their wallet in their office. Some people try to pay me just 40 cents. I might be homeless, but I’m not an idiot. It’s $5 for shoes, $10 for boots.
Homeless, you say. What happened? I had a nervous breakdown and didn’t have any family to support me through it. I’m not a fanatic but I believe in God and that’s what got me through it.
Where do you stay? I just live on the streets, here, there and everywhere. The government have turned their back on the mentally ill, and that’s who the real homeless are – the mentally ill. I’m just doing this until I get a job, I’ll do anything so long as it’s outdoors.
Why did you start shining shoes? I spent a few years in boys’ homes and would shine 176 pairs of kids’ shoes in a day. This has never been about the dollars, it’s about dignity. Which is good, because people just don’t tip in this city.
Worst thing about the job? When people don’t keep their legs still.
And the best? Meeting people. There are a lot of ratbags, but the good always outweighs the bad. I shine more women’s shoes, they don’t give a shit what people think. Men are such wimps.
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