European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The grim reality behind the Hollywood myth by Therese Lee associated press writer travelling Down a Highway in Nebraska 17-year-old Nikki saw a billboard for Hollywood and took it As a summons. Once there he found himself homeless panhandling by Day on Hollywood Boulevard and hooking by night at a West Hollywood strip frequented by homosexuals. Quot i used to think that if i walked up and Down Hollywood Boulevard All Day i would get seen and get an agent Quot the David Bowie look alike said As he begged for Money. Quot kids from different towns and cities form an idea of Hollywood from movie and to Glitz Quot said Elizabeth Gomez of the los Angeles youth network a shelter for homeless teens Quot they hear stories of actors that got discovered on the Street and they kind of think it will happen to  troubled youths who come to Hollywood soon discover that movie agents do not wait at bus stations or cruise the Boulevard looking for new faces like Nikki they become lost in a sea of faceless teen agers who make their living largely by prostitution and begging. All of the teen agers interviewed spoke on condition that Only their first names or Street names be used a girl who goes by Little bit crouched on a ledge next to a Hollywood freeway off ramp looking More like a dirty frightened cat than a girl. She clutched a battered sign Reading Quot hunger Quot she said she was 19, but appeared to be 10 or 11. She had dirty Blond hair Pale Blue eyes and a Black smudge on her Chin. The Miami heat basketball jacket and Tennis shoes she wore were far too big for her. During one five minute stretch a Motorist stopped to hand Over a Bill and another woman ran across the freeway from her bus Stop to give Money. Chris a 19-year-old from Charlotte n.c., said he uses his formidable Punk Rock appearance to make Money. Tourists who flock to Hollywood for a bit of tawdry Glamour pay to take a picture of the Young giant with his four Green tinted hair spikes. Some kids leave Home to escape parental abuse. Others a some with alcohol or drug problems a Are thrown out. Few Are wanted Back by their families social workers said. Quot there Are some Rotten kids Quot Gomez said. Quot but with the majority of kids it s the parents fault. They Are Hollywood is a Magnet for runaways like Nikki 17, who left Nebraska hoping for Success. Really Puppy dogs. On the exterior they Are rough and Tough but inside they Are Sweet Little  Gomez said about 10,000 teens Are homeless in los Angeles county absent a real family teens who Aren t in a shelter program loosely band together for company and Protection. They live in empty buildings Bathe where they can and eat $1-a-slice pizza Little bit found shelter and a family of sorts with a group called the trolls when she arrived from Seattle. But since their Cavern underneath the Hollywood freeway was closed by the California department of transportation she sleeps in a different place every night. Some sleep in the Bushes by the freeway. Better conditions can be found in abandoned buildings turned into Quot squats Quot or temporary Homes. Chris led the Way to what he described As the worst squat in Hollywood just a Block from the celebrated Hollywood walk of Fame. Once a music store now its abandoned rain soaked and filled with trash. At least three people were sleeping on the cluttered floor but it was difficult to count Alt the huddled figures in the Musty gloom. The ceiling was caved in and the dry Wall ripped up. The floor was littered with moldy clothes broken tiles old paint cans phonograph albums a Rusty shopping cart magazines a soggy copy of the predictions of nostradamus and garbage. Social workers and police say the Only Hope for the Street kids is programs that offer a place to live Job training counselling and drug treatment. Those who stay involved in a program have a Good Chance of staying off the streets said Gomez. Both her organization which sees 1,000 kids a year and children of the night claim at least 80 percent of the kids who Complete their programs Quot stabilize Quot or stick with a Job. But some never join because they dislike rules and curfews said Vikki Balet program director for children of the night Balet thinks states should enact a runaway Law that would Force kids to stay in a shelter and go to school. A we have 13 and 14-year-Olds who Are his positive Quot because they become prostitutes or Are sexually exploited Balet said. A i think that if someone snatched them up and took control of their lives Many of these kids  have such a hard  but these Independent minded teen agers seem to want control of their own lives such As they Are. Drake 18, said he has been homeless off and on since he left his abusive father in Atlanta at age 14, Quot nothing much can be done Quot Drake said. Quot nobody can really help us but  action Lin destruction of goods angers cafes shopper q a recently a co worker and i were at the cafes shop Pette in Frankfurt As we were leaving the store we noticed an employee of the shop Pette destroying Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas cards. We asked him Why he was destroying the paper and cards. He said he had to. So we asked if we could have it instead of throwing it away. He pointed to an or standing close by and said Quot that my will say something to you and make you bring it Back. Quot so again we asked Why the cafes employee said something about it being against policy. We asked what policy he said he did t know. Then i said i la just buy a Box of these cards. The manager of the cafes shop Pette said no. I asked Why the manager then said it is against cafes policy to resell those items or give them away. My cd worker and i argued that it was a waste of resources and those items could be used again but the Christmas cards and wrapping paper wore destroyed anyway. Normally the Price of Christmas cards is Between $7 and $12. The Christmas cards had been reduced to somewhere in the neighbourhood of $4 to $5. Our questions to the cafes people is Why would you throw away perfectly Good Brand new merchandise instead of Selling them at a reduced Price for the next  management of cafes could have donated these items to the acs army Community service or any other countless organizations. It could have been placed in recycling bins instead of being thrown away. I just wonder what else cafes has thrown away because it is against policy to donate items. Chi. Karen Weathers Frankfurt Germany he Dee l. Smith Public affairs specialist Public affairs office cafes Headquarters Europe replies i regret you were Given some bad information cafes sincerely wants to donate unsaleable items rather than destroy them. Our policy is to offer this merchandise to the local chaplain for Chanty before resorting to destruction. Even though we attempt to donate Unson vim items sometimes they Are refused. In these instances our policy is to destroy the merchandise to ensure the items Aren t fraudulently returned to the store for a refund or an Exchange As for the specific incident at the Frankfurt shop Pette i done to have enough information to give you an answer. However if you la Call or Don Miller your Frankfurt general manager at 069 560-0030, in a sure he will have someone look into the incident for you and take corrective action if  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and done to know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday april 18, 1992