The Roadrunner recently had the chance to talk with John Stee and J.C. Holt, two homeless men who currently reside in the rural outside areas of Oroville,Ca.

Just beyond Riverbend park along the fields that dot Feather river and past the leering and judgmental eyes of society lies the area that these two men call “camp.”

“We picked up these two dogs not long ago. The old owner ended up getting himself thrown in jail and plans on enrolling himself into a rehabilitation program so these two would have just been left on their own until or if he ever decided to come back. Having them around in the camp at night to bark at people or things we don’t see is honestly priceless, you don’t get much in the way of security out here so you learn fast to take what you can get.” – J.C.

Can we ask how you two feel about the rain being out here?

“I love it and hate it. Going to bed listing to raindrops hit the roof top of your ten is always relaxing, but when you wake up in the morning and the weather hasn’t cleared up yet it can really put things in perspective as someone who doesn’t have place to call home.” -J.C.

“For me it don’t make any difference. I’ll be waking up outside one way or the other.”-John

Is there any message that you two would like to leave our readers with?

“I don’t think anyone would care to listen even if I did.” -John

“We are still here, people may look down on us because we are struggling. In most cases I think society would just like to forget that people like us are even out here, but pretending we don’t exist won’t make us any less real. We are still people no matter how much those around us may want to lump us in with the garbage.”