MARCUS AND HIS DOG PICKLES MET EACH OTHER ON THE STREETS OF SKID ROW, LOS ANGELES. THEY BOTH HAD A TOUGH PAST, THEY SHARED DIFFICULTIES AND THEY LEARNED TO LEAN ON ONE ANOTHER. WHEN PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN HWANG SAW THE DUO, HE WAS AMAZED BY THEIR UNIQUE FRIENDSHIP.
“He essentially shares everything with him, and they go everywhere together,” John said.
Marcus and John created a bond with each other and decided to keep in touch.
The homeless man’s dark days were partly changed when he got approved for government-subsidized housing in Skid Row. It was just a tiny room with a shared bathroom, but it was a thousand times better than wandering hopelessly on the street.
Marcus was finally so happy to share a roof with his best friend, Pickles. From that moment on Marcus and Pickles could start living a nice life together.
After Marcus and Pickles settled in their new home, John decided to pay them a visit. He didn’t inform Marcus about his intention, but right when he arrived, they were already there to greet their guest warmly.
“(Marcus) has this big smile on his face and said to me ‘I had this feeling I had to come downstairs, and here you are.’ Then we give each other a big hug,” John said.
“I saw the mattress leaning up against the wall unused,” he continued. “On the floor was the dog bed, a dog bowl for food and water, and a bunch of blankets strewn out. The blankets and the dog bed were basically one big pile. There was no dog section or person section, it was just one big jumble of blankets and dog bed.”
Marcus said to John that as long as he has little Pickles he doesn’t care about the rest and he also explained him that he slept on the floor.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him,” Marcus said.
