When he’s not selling Street Roots, Stephen can sometimes be glimpsed slaloming his longboard down the street at high speed like a water skier. His service dog, Dallas, plays the speedboat.
Dallas is a mix of pit bull, German shepherd and Labrador retriever. She’s compact and solidly built, like a pit bull.
“She’s like an anchor with legs,” Stephen said. “I just keep the leash taut and as long as the road is level or downhill, on a cool, dry day she’ll tow me for up to 25 miles.”
But her disposition is that of a Lab – everybody’s best friend.
Born in Minnesota, Stephen grew up working and playing on local family farms.
“My grandfather had a farm, but he drank it away. So my family worked on nearby farms when I was little. I bucked hay, milked cows, cleaned barns, drove hay trailers. Eventually, my dad and uncles got into trucking. I used to ride with him, and that’s how I started traveling around the country. I’ve been a rambler my whole life. I love to travel.”
Stephen has traveled tens of thousands of miles on his bicycle. In one 14-month period, he toured 6,000 miles in six states on a bike.
“A hundred miles of that was with my dog. Ain’t nothing more satisfying than being out there, just you and the bike, the sounds and the smells.”
Besides Minnesota, places Stephen has called home include Fargo, N.D.; Olympia and Seattle, Wash.; Astoria; and Missoula, Mont.
“I lived in Missoula for nine years. Among other arrangements, I was an apartment manager in exchange for living in one of the apartments.” Last year he moved to Astoria. Then in December, in search of better services for his AIDS, he moved to Portland.
“Dallas and I walked all but 30 miles from Astoria. It took us a day and a half, plus a $6 bus ride.”
Soon after he arrived, Stephen began selling Street Roots. He does most of his selling at the Concordia New Seasons Market, where his sense of humor and ability to talk with most anyone has made him many friends.
Stephanie, who works at the coffee bar, said of Stephen, “He’s always got a smile, a joke and a story. And he’s our best customer.”
Stephen likes mochas, and admits to having as many as six or seven of them in a day.
Stephanie added, “I like to see how people in line react when he’s standing there in a dress, making us laugh with his jokes.”
Besides dresses and miniskirts, Stephen has been known to wear short-shorts, tights and even ordinary jeans.
“But,” he said, “I sell more papers when I dress up. The women especially seem to like me better in a skirt.”
Another New Seasons employee, James, said, “Stephen is cool and super reliable. He’s there every morning. I like him a lot. And he has a sweet dog.”
In the short time he’s been in town, Stephen has gained the trust of many people. When his bicycle was stolen, along with a trailer containing most of his possessions, it could have been a major setback. But a friend of his put out a call for help, and the response was quick. Within a few days, he received a new bike, a trailer, a tent, clothes and shoes.
“I’ve camped out thousands of times in different situations, and I’m quite good at it, if I do say so myself.”
He has been tenting at a friend’s house but is looking forward to the day he turns out the light switch on a wall and crawls into a bed to sleep.
On Nov. 12, 2016, Stephen will reach 12 years of sobriety.
“And I’m friendly,” he said. “And I have a nice dog.”
Dallas wags in agreement.
Stephen sells Street Roots at the Concordia New Seasons market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, works as a gardener and a handyman, and volunteers in the community.