A bleak October afternoon near the eastern corner of Capitol Square is made brighter by a red Badger baseball cap adorning the head of an otherwise unobtrusive newspaper salesman.
Although his headwear supports the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mark Sperry never had the opportunity to go to college himself.
As the frigid winter months edge closer, Sperry will also be without the opportunity to appreciate a home or bed of his own.
Sperry first became homeless after an overseas company bought out the welding workshop where he had worked for 17 years, forcing him onto unemployment benefits.
The welding shop hired Sperry straight out of high school, an accomplishment he said he took exceptional pride in at the time.
Sperry estimates he now earns between $18 and $30 a day selling Street Pulse newspapers.
“It’s not good for your attitude, or for anything really,” Sperry said. “You have to overlook some things just to keep yourself motivated.”
Sperry tries to save what little money he makes but said it is difficult. He spends his nights at Porchlight’s emergency shelter or at the house of whichever friend will take him in.
Downtown Madison doesn’t feel like home to Sperry, who grew up hunting deer and fishing walleye with his older brothers in DeForest. He expects he would be much happier in a smaller town where he could more readily integrate nature into his daily interactions.
However, Porchlight’s temporary housing is currently Sperry’s best option.
He applied for its semi-permanent affordable housing program on two separate occasions, but said he was not accepted because the jobs he was working at the time did not meet the qualifying requirements.
Despite these setbacks, Sperry makes the best of selling newspapers to keep his spirits up.
“I try to be a good person,” Sperry said. “I try to do what I can do, you know.”
Sperry said the hardest part of selling papers isn’t the small income or the cold temperatures. It is the mental battle.
“It’s really the no change,” Sperry said. “You battle that because you’re out here every day, trying to sell, trying to get ahead, trying to do something and you’re not really living anywhere… that’s tough.”
The monotony of each day may take a toll, but Sperry said he focuses on interacting with the people who pass him on the street in order to increase his sales.
When he feels exceedingly disheartened, Sperry said he allows himself a brief retreat into his thoughts.
“You just kinda try to think of other things, you know? Think of old times or think ahead about things that I want to do,” Sperry said. “I want to get out of the situation, find a place to live and get back to, per say, normal. Whatever that may be.”
