Bruce, 62, is originally from Auburn, California – just a little way down the mountain from Reno – but says he hasn’t been able to go back home in three years.
“I had to get my ID. Somebody stole my suitcase, so I had to get a new one yesterday,” Bruce explains when asked about some of his current challenges. “They’ve still gotta mail it to me, but it’s done. I’m coming home.” Many people we meet on the streets of Reno aren’t from here, and say they want leave but sometimes are stuck, because of lack of funds or waiting for important paperwork.
“I was staying with a friend of mine, but she would’ve had to start paying extra if I was going to be there,” Bruce said of his living arrangements. “I’m heading back to California, I’ve gotta get my check and take care of some things so I can move to Winnemucca,” he said of his future plans.
When Our Town Reno met Bruce, he was soaking up the sun by the river in Wingfield Park, with his guitar propped up next to him. “Reno has been one big, fun adventure,” he said. “I’ve got people that are helping me,” Bruce motions to another man sitting across the park on the grass. “Mark and I got soaked last night. We fell asleep and the sprinklers came on. Soaked us. So we came over here [Wingfield Park] to dry our things.”
Bruce started strumming on his guitar strings, humming away. “This is a song that came from my mother who passed away,” he said.
You Have A Place
I woke up and you were on my mind
Wish I could find
Oh where d'ya take your memory, far away
I think about the love that we did find
You know the kind
That never ends and always stays
Within my heart, within my heart
You have a place
Bruce tells us of the time when his fingers were so badly injured, he couldn’t play the guitar; “I’ve been injured to where I couldn’t play. I didn’t sing for a long time either, but I have my voice back now.”
Besides the guitar, Bruce can play a multitude of other instruments including the banjo, saxophone, flute, and practically any instrument placed in front of him. “When you play the saxophone or wind instruments, you gotta build up the muscles around your mouth,” Bruce explains. “It hurts a bit. I had all my upper teeth pulled so I haven’t picked up a wind instrument yet, but I’m going to soon.”
Younger Bruce was a member of several bands growing up. He recalls some of their names; “Sweet Savor and Loose Gravel. We did Top 40 covers for a while, back in the 80’s. We’d pick a song out of the Top 40 list and we’d do it.” He begins further reminiscing on past music concerts he attended, his most memorable being Merle Haggard. Bruce is gearing up to go to some music festivals when he can, particularly jazz festivals, since he loves to play jazz music on his guitar.
Getting back up on his feet and road tripping to music festivals is the end goal for Bruce, but it’s been far from easy for him.
In the past year, Bruce’s cataract significantly worsened and is not only affecting his ability to get back working a job, but also affects his day-to-day life. “They kept getting worse and then “ I missed my surgery in July,” Bruce explains. “I thought it was on the 19th, and it was on the 9th. I just missed it, I had the dates mixed up. They gave me paperwork; I couldn’t read it. I can’t even see a phone screen.” Bruce explains that he can see shapes and shadows, but he couldn’t see details on our cameras or recording equipment, and mentioned that he has to be very careful walking across the streets, especially in Downtown Reno, where the roads are busy with cars and bicycles.
Bruce has a background as a contractor, and once owned his own construction company; “I do construction. I’m a contractor, and there’s a lot of work going on around here…I could go back to work and make $400 a day doing construction. I’m a certified crane operator,” he said.
Unfortunately, seeing as Bruce is now blind in both eyes, going back to work isn’t an option for him at the moment. Bruce has an eye surgery appointment scheduled for December of this year in Elk Grove. The operation will hopefully give Bruce his vision back. “I’m looking forward to it,” Bruce said.
“I want to see again.”
The next step for Bruce is finding a way to get back to Lincoln, California, a 20-minute drive from Auburn, and over the hill from Reno, just two hours if someone could take him: “My money is down there,” Bruce explains. “I gotta get there to pick up my check. And my motorhome is down in Sacramento at my son’s house. I have food stamps, so at least I’m eating. That’s the main thing.”
Once Bruce gets to California and has surgery on his eyes, he wants to come back to Northern Nevada and set up his base camp in Winnemucca. “California and Placer County are just too high-priced,” he said. “California’s getting ridiculous.” He has big plans for a bicycle catering business in the area. “We’ve got all these bicycles, I’ve just gotta do it,” Bruce affirms. “I would sell American food; grilled sandwiches, beans, steaks, baked potatoes, salad. Keep it simple.”
Bruce ends with one last song, “Thank You Lord.” “I found the sheet music in the piano bench at my aunt’s when we were moving the piano. I sat down and started playing the song.”
Thank You Lord
Thank you Lord
For giving me a shoulder to cry on
Thank you Lord
For giving I a promise to rely on
Thank you Lord
For your love
And your precious love
Thank you Lord
For I needed someone to save me