SPECIAL FEATURE of melt away when he hugs me. His hugs make me feel safe. I didn’t feel that way often when I was growing up in Missouri. Tim is the first person in my life that has made me feel safe like that. TIM: Alyssa makes me feel loved. I can tell her all my secrets. If I share something I’m passionate about, she’ll nurture it. My ex never did that in the 14 years we were together. Alyssa makes me feel complete in ways that I’ve never felt before. It’s kind of scary when you love someone enough to get hit by a car or take a bullet for them. When and where did you two share your first kiss? What did it feel like? TIM: She told me her mom was going to put her out on the street because they couldn’t get along, and I didn’t want that for her. I drove out to pick her up, and I don’t know what came over me. After I saw her, I kind of ran over and gave her a big hug and kissed her. She pulled away at first because she knew about my ex-wife. I told her that we had separated before I drove out to get her, and we just kissed. Where was your first date? TIM: Burger King in Arkansas! TIM (L) AND ALYSSA (R). CREDIT: GILES CLASEN ALYSSA: I still have the crown I got that day. I keep it in the glove compartment of our car. LOVE ON THE STREETS: Tim & Alyssa BY ROBERT DAVIS EVERYONE FALLS IN LOVE, but homelessness can make it much more difficult to do so. There is no such thing as “privacy” when you’re living outside, much less anything that resembles a safe place to call home. Laws that criminalize basic human actions like sleeping, sitting, lying down, or sharing food in public spaces make romantic courtship much riskier for people targeted by these laws as well. Add to that the trauma and stress of unsheltered homelessness itself and falling in love seems impossible. For Alyssa Will and Tim Jones, who have been dating since August 2023, falling in love has been one wild ride. Early on, they rode the highways back and forth through Arkansas and Missouri together before they embarked on a journey to Colorado. But their car broke down shortly after they got to Denver and even though they work odd jobs every day except for Sunday, Tim says, their income isn’t enough to afford rent, food, and a hefty mechanic bill altogether. But those challenges haven’t stopped Alyssa and Tim from building a romantic relationship together. It’s hard work, but necessary nonetheless, Alyssa said. “Whenever we get our time together, we go outside for a walk and hold hands like a new couple,” Alyssa said. Denver VOICE spoke with Alyssa and Tim about how their relationship started and what it takes to fall in love while experiencing homelessness. This interview has been lovingly edited for length and clarity. DENVER VOICE: First, I have to say I love how you two smile every time you look at each other. How did you first meet? TIM: I was living in Arkansas at the time with my ex-wife and kids. My ex and I had a lot of issues that ended up tearing us apart. So, I moved out and started staying with a friend. That’s when I met Alyssa the first time. I think we played Mario Party that night, She ended up moving back to Missouri shortly after we met and I didn’t get to see her for a while after that. ALYSSA: We stayed in contact while I was in Missouri. We talked about life and whatever was on our mind. I was staying with my mom at the time, and I ended up leaving her house because of a disagreement. I got arrested and put in a holding cell for a couple of days. Tim didn’t hear from me while I was locked up and he didn’t like that. He was the first person I called when they let me out and I got back to my mom’s place. I told him all I wanted to do was see him and play Mario. So, he drove out to come get me and we’ve been together ever since. What do you like about your significant other? Do you have a favorite body part, or a favorite part of their personality? ALYSSA: Tim is so funny. There have been times when he’s told a joke and I almost cry because it’s so funny. He also gives the best hugs. I could be having a panic attack and all he has to do is hug me and I’ll be okay. My pain and frustrations kind What happens if you get into a disagreement? How do you resolve it? TIM: We’ve had our ups and downs. A lot of downs. But we keep working through it. Whenever we get into a big fight, we usually take some space for ourselves. I’ll go one way and she goes another, but we keep talking. We talk on the phone instead of texting because we want to hear each other’s tone. Talking about your feelings is a big part of being in a relationship. If you can’t talk about them, then the relationship isn’t going to work. How do you keep the romance alive in your relationship? ALYSSA: It can be hard to be romantic or intimate when you’re sleeping in a car or living at someone else’s house temporarily. We sometimes stay with Tim’s brother, but there really isn’t space for us to be romantic there. There are people walking around all the time and there’s no privacy. TIM: She calls me handsome, and I tell her she’s beautiful every day. I know some people don’t like public affection, but we don’t care. I’ll hold her hand or kiss her. The only thing we don’t really get to do is be intimate in that “special” way. What does the word “love” mean to you? ALYSSA: Love is putting someone else before yourself for whatever reason. It’s about focusing all your energy on someone else to the point that they feel warm. I have had a hard time showing people that I love them in the past, but it’s easy to love Tim. I show him love through words of affirmation and physical touch, even when I’m feeling lazy. TIM: Love means everything. It’s sacrifice; it’s change; it’s about doing things for someone else that you wouldn’t do for yourself. ■ February 2024 DENVER VOICE 9
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