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Common Wanderers Project #5 - Luke & Charlie

portrait of Luke and Charlie

Lukas and I met in the spring, before I had started my Common Wanders project. He is one of the first people I have really gotten to know well through living in a van full-time. It was this encounter that really made me want to give this project some legs and move it from an idea into reality. 

 

What started as a polite hello soon became far more than we would both realise at the time. From that initial greeting to now, Luke and I have not only become friends; he has also become a colleague of mine, now teaching design technology to young adults with special educational needs. He has a great rapport with the kids and has a work companion in the shape of a very popular little dog named Luca, and yes, he and his dog are both called Luke… I don’t recall the full story of this one I'm afraid.

Luca the dog

When I first met Luke, he was sporting two rather fetching black eyes after an unfortunate encounter with someone who had had a little too much to drink the week before. It wasn’t until we had been chatting for at least three-quarters of an hour that we mutually acknowledged his appearance and the story of how it came to be. It was a classic case of ‘don’t judge a book’ and all that. If that had been the case, I would never have entered into that conversation or met such a lovely guy, and this project would have probably sat in my mind for longer than it did. 


During our first chat we spoke about what draws people to this lifestyle; I always mention the running or healing theory, with this lifestyle acting as a catalyst for change. Initially, and to my surprise, Luke outright denied this was the case for him, only for him to start opening up over time about the reasons he chose to move into his van. I could not help but highlight this at the time, and I do like to remind him of this denial from time to time. Luke, you’re welcome. 

Luke and Charlie kissing infant of their van

The key factor for him is agency. He is able to take charge of his living situation no matter what gets thrown at him, both personally and professionally. He tells of how he and Charlie met: in the initial months of residing in his van and labouring on different construction sites, he found himself in a situation where he surprised himself by asking a shop assistant, whom he had just met, if she would be interested in going out for a drink.

This momentary act of placing himself in a vulnerable state certainly paid off, as Charlie now lives in the van and is wholly invested in the lifestyle too. This has enabled her to be able to take the time and space needed to find her passion (a journey she is still very much on), leaving retail behind and becoming involved in spirituality festivals and ethical clothing. 


As mentioned previously, Luke and I now work together. It was hard not to recognise that here was someone in need of direction and a purpose. His way with people and the empathy he showed towards them were just screaming out to be put to good use. 

It’s not everyday that you challenge a stranger’s beliefs in themselves so directly, and they respond by not only accepting the challenge but excelling in it. 

environmental portrait of Luke, Charlie and Luca



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