Life in America's Poorest Region: A Journey Through Eastern Kentucky

I'm about to drive solo through America's poorest region, Southeastern Kentucky, to see the homes, the bars, and the routines that shape everyday life here. Ain't nothing around here. But I have to be careful that I don't end up down the wrong road. We're going to keep moving before I get shot at. I have no plan, no script, and no idea who or what is waiting around each bend. Your best bet is to. carry a pistol with you.

My mission is to meet people living off the grid, hear their stories, I've had over 100 surgeries. And show a side of rural America most of us will never see. I'm entering a place called Whitley City, which is. apparently the biggest town in the county, and there's like nothing here. This is the only stoplight. I don't know if people are going to want to talk to me or not. or if they're going to be like, "What the hell are you doing here?".

McCreary County is consistently ranked among the poorest in the country in terms of median income. It is said that the poverty rate is over 40% out here, which is pretty stark. This county doesn't have a hospital. It doesn't even have a local newspaper. but there's a ton of mom-and-pop stores. It's a lot more nerve-wracking to do this than it looks because people are very standoffish. I have a Texas license plate in this rental car, and. when you roll up with any license plate that doesn't say Kentucky, people kind of look at you like, "What are you doing here?" You're kind of guilty until proven innocent.

Not everybody is open and friendly, but the people that are. incredible, and it's what makes America a great country. Alright, here we go. Leaving the town into the countryside. Kentucky's story goes way back. First settled on Cherokee land, then built on coal, bourbon, bluegrass music, and of course. fried chicken. It's the only way that you're going to get chicken that is finger-licking good. But these days, the coal mines are closing, jobs are disappearing, and entire communities are struggling to get by.

This part of the country was one of the richest, had the highest-paying jobs, a lot of people living here, a lot of activity, and now it's just literally. a ghost town. So far, I'm striking out on things to do and people to meet, but there's one thing Kentucky's famous for all over the world. The birthplace of KFC. This is where Colonel Sanders first started cooking. his world-famous chicken. All the way back in the 1930s, about 100 years ago. But his chicken became so good that travelers would literally detour all the way out here in the middle of nowhere just to taste it. At one point, Colonel was selling gas on the side of the road,

which looked and felt just like this. This was Colonel Sanders' actual house. You see him. here in the window. That is so. freaking cool! I have a theory. that nobody has seen more of the world than Colonel Sanders. There are like 30 or 40,000. KFC chains around the world, and his face is everywhere. I'm going to go ahead inside and check it out. But first. there's a dude playing a flute, which I'm going to go say hi. I don't know what's going on with him. How you doing?

Hi. Uh, my name is Drew. Nice to meet you. Drew?. I'm Robert. Yeah. Your music is great. You just playing for fun or? Thank you. Well, trying to make a few tips. The old SSI check isn't coming until the 1st. Alright. I'll give you a little tip. I've traveled all over the world. like many, many countries, and I see KFC everywhere. More than McDonald's. Yeah. This is where it all started. Now, he was an interesting fella. He, he actually shot a guy. He was, he was cantankerous. If you talk to some of the locals here, some of their family worked for him.

He was a pistol! He shot a guy? Yeah. I'm just trying to learn about the life here. That's it. Like, what, is it happy? Is it sad? Yeah. It's a mixture. I mean, There, there's. There's people here that have tons of money and have a big happy life or whatever, and there's people here that don't have hardly anything. I'm just average. I'm just trying to get by. Yeah.

After meeting my first friendly local, I'm ready to try the original KFC. The chicken is crispy, juicy, and way better than any fast food I've ever tasted. It tastes so much better here! Right, Colonel? You want some? Now that I'm well fed, I drive around trying to talk to people, but not everyone reciprocates. Are you from around here?

Yeah. Is it a nice place? Yeah. Cool. Alright, man. Alright. Have a good day. Thank you. I'm just driving around to try to. meet some people and see what's going on. Yeah. Well. the best restaurant around here, they got like right down here. that's Dairy Queen, Ingles. They got like Cherry Cokes, kind of old-fashioned. Are the people around here nice? Now that I've seen how difficult it is to make friends here, I'm even more nervous to drive around these back roads alone. But just as I'm starting to lose hope, I spot some hitchhikers on the side of the road.

How you doing? Hello. What's going on? Nothing, we're just walking to the house. Okay, cool. Are. Are you guys from here? Yeah. I just came here to try to meet some interesting people, but there's not a lot going on out here. Oh, if you go on down, there's a McDonald's on your right, and you go on up, and on your left there's, uh, Arby's and a, uh. that's the Arby's. That's about it. Pizza Hut. So, McDonald's, Arby's, and Pizza Hut? That is it. Welcome to Pineville. Hey, can you give us a ride about a half a mile?

Maybe a mile, give or take? Sure. What's your name? Brian. How you doing? Are people, like, very standoffish? Like, if you don't know them, they're not trying to make new friends? Well, let me tell you, they're kind of like. They, uh, yeah they bring a gun in your face. Some of them. Yeah, and, uh. Yeah. Well, you're giving me a ride. They won't. Lots of people do. not give a ride to a man. I was told not to do what I just did, but. you guys did seem pretty harmless, so.

Well, I appreciate that. There's a lot of people that like to say what they want to say, but we are really good-hearted people. Yeah. We just have it hard. Yeah. We're right up here on the right. Is this considered a holler? Yeah, this is a holler. Yeah. You can tell you from the city. I was told if you roll into a holler and people don't know you, they might take out a shotgun.

Anytime you come down in here, man, your best bet is to. carry a pistol with you. Do you mind if I see your house? No, come on in, buddy. Just. Just for, like, ten minutes. Oh, damn. My name is Drew. Nice to meet you. How you doing?. No, I'm from. I'm from Arizona, but my car says Texas. Oh, yeah, uh-uh. You from Texas? Okay. How are you? Good. How you doing?. Nice to meet you. Hello. How are you? Fine. I got my hand full of nasty.

Oh!. No, no. No problem. Nice to meet you. Take care. We live countryfied. This is cool, man. This is the woman of my life. She takes. He just gave us a ride home. How you doing? He's from Arizona. Oh, you don't have to stand up. Nice to meet you. You, too. That woman gets around better than me or you. Yeah. I believe that. So, did you grow up in this house? How long do you. No, I didn't grow up in this house. I. I grew up on down the road.

Okay. So, you know all these houses, like, they family? No, not all these people ain't. This, this is just us is family. Yeah, Mamaw owns from the black top. all that grass, all the way up. And she owns it up here. Are they friendly? These people? Yeah, except them idiots up there in the trailer. Trouble-making, god-dang people. They're just rude people that just. Oh, they just, they just. That's not good. Oh.

You know, just mean, like, rude. So, why what's the li life like here? Is it enjoyable? Um. It is if you like being in the mountains and stuff. But if you don't have a job or anything, it's. a lot of people. Well, I think the unemployment rate is like 40%. It is, yeah. Well, that's why a lot of people get hooked on drugs. Yeah. This is the worst state for, uh. I think, what did it say? The, uh, methamphetamine. Yeah, of course. Everybody round here. That's the most top rated. it's took everyone I know.

Really? I mean I used to, actually, I'm a recovery addict. Yeah. Really? I used to be on drugs. I was locked up for three years, and I've been out a year now. Yeah. You were locked up. for drugs? Yeah. For possession of drugs, yeah. It's good that you're you're sober and better. Yeah I know, I'm just tryna find a. There's nowhere else to. No jobs around here hardly, you know. How'd you guys meet? He just pulled up here with one of his buddies.

He just rolled up like I did? And I. Yeah, but I just have that. And, uh. I pulled up and I said. She was sitting there in the driveway. This was my exact words: "Damn you're purty." So, you know, the rumor of Kentucky is like incest? Yes. Is it true? That's very true. More, more in Harlan. For real, where I. where uh, where my family's from, I won't lie about it. I'm not like that. Where I used to live in Irvine, I don't know if you've ever heard of this. it's they called Blue People.

There's a girl I used to go to high school with. She. dated a guy that knew one of these guys. Said he'd act normal and everything. He was just blue as he can be. Like a Smurf, blue. Wait, seriously? Yeah, and I was like. you, you know I've seen him for myself. And he would, he don't talk to women. He just talk to guys. You think if I, if I went, he would talk to me? Would you go up there by yourself, for real? I, I would go with someone that knows them.

I wouldn't. Yeah, I don't know them personally. I don't know them, but I'd ride up there with ya. You go with me? Yeah. I'm crazy. Because you're like. Yeah. You're a local. I would go too. I'm just crazy. No. Yeah, he's Ain't nobody wants to mess with me. he's got me in situation. No. I promise you that. It seems to be pretty safe here though. Even if people have guns, like, they're not. people just mind their own business, right? For the most part. Until they don't.

Yeah, I tell'd uh. her, I said "Yep, here we go." When I pulled up? Yep, I was just tightening my fists. Getting ready. Oh, really? What did you think. could have happened? I was going to have to frigging beat somebody half to death. I wasn't scared of it. I couldn't wait to see what was up. So, people don't do that around here? No! Really? No, not especially for someone lives around here. Let me ask you something. Sure. You don't do drugs. No. Do you just give anybody a ride?

No. I try to judge people if I can feel that they're friendly and kind-hearted, and I felt that with you, which is why I gave you a ride. If I felt like tension, I would just. driven away. That's why I got in. Now, I wouldn't just get in no car either. No way there, so that's what I'm saying. But I can tell he is, you know. Yeah. Nice to meet you. Thank you for letting me come in your house. You too. Yeah. Alright, you guys be well. Yeah, thank you. Hey, nice to meet you. Thanks for, thanks for letting me in your house.

Alright, see ya! Yeah. That was a little. uh. scary to pick them up. Like, when I was driving with them, I was like, "Shoot dude, if this guy pulls out a gun, I am screwed!" But. he didn't. And. he was cool. First, I will go to Harlan to check it out, the old coal mining town, and then we'll continue the journey northbound. Bro, these little hollers are crazy. Yeah, we're going to skip this one. We're going to keep moving before I get shot at. That guy was not kidding.

Like, people here. will shoot at you if they don't know you. I'm now entering Harlan, which is the. heart of the coal mining industry from the past. And you can even see it with the brick buildings. You can see the railroad tracks cutting through town. This place reminds me exactly of Bluefield, West Virginia, which is not that far away from here.

Look at this building right here. It looks like it hasn't been used in like 80 years. Howdy. Can I ask you guys some questions? Yeah. What's happening over here? Like I've never been here before. Is there. something I should see? You got a four-wheeler and stuff?. This is a rental car, I think it's a four-wheel drive. Yeah, oh well. I think. Ain't nothing around here.

Really? It's messed up. When coal mining shut down. all shut down. Really? You have cool eyes, man. You must get that your whole life, your eyes. Yeah. Uhh. Every woman want me. What are you guys doing, just hanging out? Yeah, that's all we do! Do you guys mind, I'll give you guys. twenty bucks each if you just want to take me around for like 30 minutes. I got it. Come in. What's your name? Roy. Drew. Roy. Oh. Drew. So, this is. this was all coal mine? Like all these buildings were used for coal industry?

Like the brick buildings? Yeah. All this was a -booming town. We had everything here. But now there's nothing? Nothing. No. So, are people depressed? Are they happy? No way. They're not happy. So, why don't you leave? Why don't you go somewhere else? I. I ain't got that much money. I'm on SSI. How old are you? I'll be sixty. three end of this month. What did you do for work. before? I done construction work, car work.

I done everything. You think you can fix anything? Yeah. No, I can't see no more. I can't get my hands to. So, I hear that drugs is a big problem around here. Oh, gooosh. Yeah. We had, um. Over the, uh, across the highway. You walk across the railroad tracks. Homeless people sat over there, do dope and everything. There's a stereotype about Kentucky, and the stereotype is that everyone. has sex with their, like, family members. Like incest. Is it true?

Yeah! So, it's normal that, like. a brother and a sister would have a baby? No, cousin and, and. Cousin. Cousin and cousin. Back in fou. thirties. Cousin, cousin. Yeah. That's interesting. Where's the center of town? It's up here? Right here, you. you almost end of town. It's a small town? Yeah. What makes you happy in life? Drinking. That's it? Only drinking makes you happy? Yep. Nothing else?

Nothing else. Family? Well, my family down in Abbotts down there. I don't see them much no, no more. What about friends? Do your friends make you happy? Sometimes. Are your neighbors friendly? Why is there a police car in your house? That ain't police car. Whose car is that?! That's a police car! It's the fire chief. My fire chief live over there. My house burnt down, I went over there. I literally can't understand a word this guy says.

Wait, so that's not. there's a police car there too. You're surrounded by police. No, that's Officer Pete. So, do you know all your neighbors here? Yeah, yeah. Are they friendly? Yeah! Pete, yeah. I, I think people in Appalachia are really kind. They're really friendly people. for the most part. Right? Yep. Wait, this is your street? Can I see inside your house. for two minutes? Yeah. A bit dirty and, and messed up. You're very kind gentlemen. Before we see more of this guy's living situation, I want to take a second to thank the sponsor of this video,

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Just scan that QR code or use a link down below to get your $20 bonus. Thanks again to Revolut for sponsoring this video. And now let's get back to the rural house tour. in Kentucky. I don't keep it locked. Wait, is your dog friendly? Yeah. Hello. It's a little dog. You get! Come on! I ain't got. I ain't got a light. Yeah, I had. I have to take him bath. I can't get my knees. moving. Nice house.

I got a kitchen, I got a lots of food everywhere. No, that's alright. I got food everywhere. Pretty nice. Let's go walk around. So, what are the biggest problems in society here, aside from drugs? Jobs. Nobody can find jobs? You have to work at McDonald's or. something out that way. Do you think most people are. just barely scraping by? Yeah. What's the average, like, monthly income here? Well, monthly is $900 and some dollars for SSI and social security, and retirement. checks.

It's about $1,000 and some dollars. Can't live on that. How much is your house worth? Well, I pay $350. uh, $300. And my landowner is so nice, he told me it was $400. You pay $400 a month. for the house? That's a pretty good price. Yeah. Not really. You think it's expensive? Yeah. You're on SSI, you can't. afford. That's true. Show me where you hang out. You're. You're up here by the wall. What else? That it. That's it? Really? Right there all day.

You can park in here and walk. Alright. Roy and I are taking on the streets of Harlan. I feel like you know everyone here. You know everyone? No, you have to wave because they'd think you're stuck up. Do you think this is, like, a great place to live? Yeah. Why is that? Because of, uh. You. You don't see nobody out hardly. And. you sit down and eat out and everything you want to.

Wave at everyone? Yeah. Here, old buildings right here. We had a hotel and everything. You can feel that it was once really popular here. Yeah. It's built for a lot of people. All these buildings are empty. Except this one, he closed. Yeah, he. you can tell. Oh, closed. What do you think about cities like Los Angeles and New York? What do you think about those places? Can damn keep it.

Keep that, I ain't going down there. Why not? I ain't going to get. mugged, and rob. killed. What if I told you that they're pretty safe? No, it ain't. You wouldn't go? Nope. How are you? Trying to pick up some ladies? Not really. Yeah, you are, Roy. Nope. A lot of Civil War history here. And World War. This says, "In honor of the Harlan. County coal miners who sacrificed their lives while supporting a family and a nation." If you could have anything. in the world that you don't have, what do you want to have?

A ball? A boy? A ball. A ball or a boy? Not nothing. What're you doing in there? How you guys doing? Is this the only bar in town? Nope. Got that one too. Oh, he took. Yeah. Got the brewery right here and you got the Porthole right there on the side of the corner. Okay. Cool. Okay. Then you're going to have the Mexican restaurant. Restaurant-wise, that's going to be about the only three. And then you got a couple liquor stores.

Not. Not a whole lot going on out here. No, well, that's a lot of South East Kentucky. You know, coal businesses. kind of went down, so, the economy isn't. was packed with people, right? Hundred years ago, this place. Yeah. Yeah, you know. What you got a YouTube channel or something? No, yeah. I'm just documenting. I travel around the country and I just like to meet. Where are you from originally? I'm from Arizona. Some people, man, they. Look at Southeast Kentucky dumb, hillbilly, redneck, whatever, right? Uneducated.

Yeah. In my opinion, what I'd like to see, like the federal government or something do. I would like for them to come in and build an army base. or some type factories, or give our area such tax breaks that a big factory and stuff like that could come in with it, right? All that. And now we have jobs in the area and everybody, Yeah. you know. Yeah. There's no jobs really. There's like no jobs here. McDonald's, I mean that's like. Yeah. those are not really. The biggest. So, Yeah.

I would say your two biggest employers in the county of Harlan is going to be Walmart and. the hospital. Walmart? Really? Yeah. Well, I lived here my entire life. And I was in a house fire. today makes six years ago. They had to take skin from sections well outside the skull for like 11 days. Made it look better, I swear, buddy, it used to be ugly. Really? Holy crap, man! I lost my little boy and girl, getting ready to turn four-year-old, set of twins.

You lost them? And my wife, she went back in the house after I came out the second time, and she was 90% burnt. My. son, he had to let her go two days later. So. You're the only one that survived? I was the only one who survived. It was a house fire. Yeah, it was a house fire due to a propane heater. The morning after Easter, April 22nd, 2019. Just like a regular morning. And my little boy, he, uh. Came to the bedroom door after we'd had our shower and everything.

Uhh. He. came to the bedroom door. and screamed, "Daaad! Daaa!" He didn't get the last "D" out. So I opened the door and it was already smoking and I said, "Lord, what do I do?" She said, "Go check, go check, go!" So, I just went through, feeling the fire and the smoke. I ran out of there. I. finally found the door. And they said, uh. the neighbors, uh, witnesses, said as I came out the first time that I was already burnt naked, my head was on fire. I got me three gulps of air, I went back in and I closed the door. And. That's the last time you saw your family? Uh. It was the last time I saw my family.

Uhm. Wow. That time. I laid down in the dining room. and next thing I know I was on the first step on the front steps coming out. the porch. Did you have, like, a. surgery or procedure done? Or you. Uh, I've. had over 100 surgeries. And your skin. All the way to the. Wow. Bones. They, uh. did many skin grafts, um. first. You know what? You look great for having 100 surgeries. You're doing good, man.

Oh, I know. You're hanging in there, like you're. A miracle! I wouldn't, I wouldn't have even. Like, if I just passed by, I wouldn't even know. They expected me to stay in the hospital for two and a half years, and. I walked out of the hospital five days less than three months, doing the floss dance like the nurses did. How, how has it changed you as a person? You can let things that come at you in life either mold you to be good. or you can let them mold you to be bad. And. for a long time, I was bitter toward God, like, why. would you let me live and not them?

I wish my wife could experience just half the man that I am now. And. I find enjoyment out of trying to. uplift people and encourage people who's lost hope and who seem to not find a way I try to help them. find. How many kids did you have? How many. Uh. I had Alex and Olivia, and then my oldest son, Ozzie. He was at school at the time. It was Monday morning after Easter, and thank God he was there, but, um, he hadn't turned 17 yet, and he had to let Mama go two days later. And it mentally affected him. Listening to this man talk about losing his family in the house fire is devastating. And I really admire his resilience.

It makes me realize that everyone out here is struggling in their own ways, and the poverty and isolation makes things even tougher. I want to hear more about his story, so we all head to the nearest bar. Cheers, bro! Cheers. You grew up here. I grew up here. What was it like here in your childhood? Growing up was better than. my kid growing up here. There's nothing for the children to do now. That's why the kids leave?

Right. Or they're on drugs. Right. Right? That's sad. They can always find. some holler that somebody's doing drugs in. if they go seeking it. Do you think in the future there will be better days for Harlan County, or do you think. all the good days are gone? The good days are gone unless the young generation steps up and they take it into their own hands. If we had more to do in Harlan, half the kids my age wouldn't be on dope the way they are. Right. Everyone's on drugs here. Not everyone. Sorry. I mean, I'm 23, and I've had six of my friends overdose.

I don't know. I look at it differently because my dad overdosed and passed away. August will make five years. Is it tempting that it's here, or you just try to turn a blind eye to it? It's everywhere. It is. But. Nice meeting you. Well, that was. an interesting experience. It's cool just to hang out in these bars and just get a taste of local life. I mean, these guys just. hang out. They're friendly, they care about family, relationships, and it's very much of a people-to-people culture which is dying in this world.

Everyone's on social media all day. They're on their phone. Here, people just hang out and talk, shoot the shoot in real life. This is a pretty cool place. And I can imagine how if you're from here, it really feels like home and it just. pulls you back to stay here. I mean, home is wherever your family is.

I'm driving on Highway 421. Deep, deep, deeper into eastern Kentucky. I actually had a flight out of Lexington, Kentucky tonight, but I just canceled it and moved it to tomorrow. Because I want to. enjoy the journey and see what else I can find up here. As the locals told me in Harlan, this. road is very narrow and windy, and it goes all the way up into the hollers, and that's exactly where we're heading. I really hope I don't get a flat tire because there's no phone signal. So I'll have to just rely on the kindness of locals if that does happen.

We are twisting and turning through eastern Kentucky right now, and it is a blast! I'm rolling up to a place off the side of the road that I. looks interesting. How you doing? What's going on? Uh. My GPS isn't working. Is Lexington this way? Yeah. I'll just keep going dow up the road? The road there's going to take you to 9. Yeah. Go through one red light.

Turn right when you go across the hill, turn right and it'll take you into London. Okay, thank you. You take care, alright? Alright, see ya, you do the same. All the best. Going just 421, you'll hit the. parkway down there. I will do that, take care! I'm not sure if you guys could hear. that guy speak, but I could not understand a word he said. Friendly guy, though! I've literally seen these Dollar General stores everywhere! I've never been in one. So, I'm going to go check out.

what a grocery store looks like in the middle of nowhere, Kentucky. Ah. It's like a. grocery store and supermarket and Walgreens, but really cheap. It's really dark and depressing in here, to be honest. But I guess if you live around here, this is the place where you shop. Nothing very exciting. So, we're continuing on the journey. I'm running out of time before we need to be in Lexington and I know there's more to experience here, but I just don't know where to look. In a parking lot, I flagged down a guy in his 20s and asked him about the nearby hollers. He agrees to give me a tour in his red pickup truck. And I feel both nervous and excited about where this ride might take me.

Let me go put my. wheel on my truck and we'll go drive around. What's up? It's a big boy truck. Alright, bro. Give me the tour. for a half hour. Alright. What's your name? My name is Andrew Jones. My name is Drew and everybody thinks I'm Andrew, but it's actually just Drew. Yeah. That's what everybody calls me is Drew. And does it bother you? Yeah. Really? No, not a bit. You've not really got a whole lot this way, but I will take you. and go show you a holler. If you just stay on the main freeways, you don't really get the culture here.

They want privacy, you know. That, that's the thing about this county. Everybody loves everybody. Nobody really bothers anybody. Everybody just kind of sticks to their selves, for the most part. And everyone has a gun on them, right? For the most part, yeah. Like, in high school, really, the only thing we done was party. Like house parties? No, not anymore. No, not house parties.

Field parties. Drive out into a field, get a big bonfire going and get freaked up. That, that's the gist of it. How do you stay busy? I guess you work. But like. Work. That's the answer? Work. Yeah. Because if you didn't work, you would just fall into the drug trap of everybody else. Work. Not necessarily. My parents, they were really strung out my whole life. And you didn't? And you didn't fall into that?

No, I've, I've been around it my whole life. Like, the second day home from the hospital, I was with my grandparents. Oh, okay. So, your grandparents raised you? Yeah. Pretty much, yeah. For the most part, they raised me. And when I was, uh. like four, my parents got arrested. Oh, shoot, for what? Drugs. Trafficking and, uh producing. What kind of drugs? Meth, mostly. Over here was. my grandma's. sister's house before they moved to Indiana. And up there was, I believe, her aunt and uncle.

You got some generational history here. That is the house my grandmother grew up in. Cool, man. What do you think about, like, LA? I would like to go once. Just to see what it's like. Is there crime around here, like. breaking into houses? Like. Not a whole lot. And it's mostly, the crackheads that do it. A lot of them, though, are. they're, they're still as nice as they come. I know several crackheads that they, they would give you the shirt off their back.

They just went down the wrong path. Is it fentanyl? It's mostly meth around here. Methamphetamine. Fentanyl kills you. It does. You die if you try that stuff. it is starting. Now. Fentanyl is starting to get incorporated in the drugs around here. That is. he's a local around here. He is crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's a trip, dude! I'm Drew. Go, go, go, go, go. What, Drew? How you doing? I'm doing good. He said, uh, he quit, he quit working.

Oh. Down there. I hooked that other guy up. But Danny get his $10. $100 a day. Danny was getting $100 a day and he only paying him $10. Thanks for translating. You're welcome. Do you like it here? Is it fun? Not that fun. Have you ever traveled around America? Do you, do you want to? No. I told you, bro, no! Most people don't want to. Is this your dog? No, he hungry. Somebody, somebody did not feed that dog, he walked up.

He's hungry, somebody didn't feed that dog a while ago. I love that you're translating for me, bro! What's the best and the worst part about living here? Uh. good people. Okay. And what's the worst part? I don't know. There's a lot of drugs around here, ain't they? Uh-huh, drug buddy. Drugs. Drug head. Drughead. All that people do. They take advantage of me, buddy. I, I didn't get a word of that. All people want to do is take advantage of him.

Dude, that's. People just roll around in those cars? It's legal. That's cool! You can just ride around in side-by-sides, four-wheelers, whatever. Jeff, what makes you happy? Uh, everything. Everything makes you happy? That's good. Yeah. He's a happy guy. You're just a happy guy! Nice meeting you. Take care! See you, Jeff. Come back, see me, buddy! I will. See you later. Where's Bobby at, home? Yeah, Bobby's at home.

Have a good day! You, too! Well, that was awesome! Is there a lot of people like that here, or is he just one of a kind? Pretty much one. There will never be another Jeff. He's definite. He's definitely high on drugs. No! Really? Definitely not. No, he doesn't do anything. Really? He's a. Dude, he, like, looks like he's high. I don't know if he has autism, or. or what. Some kind of mental. Oh, okay, okay.

Yeah, he's got some kind of mental. disorder. Okay. And. his mom. His mom did it really bad, like, throughout his whole life. His mom, his sister. From what I've heard, they did. Like abuse? I don't know for sure, but I would assume so. He gets a check for his disability. Either his. sister, or his mom, or maybe both of them at different times. like, they would always take that check when it came in. Oh, dude! That's so sad, man. Yeah. Oh, that's terrible. I totally thought he was on drugs, but now I understand that he had a mental disorder.

Yeah. No, he hates drug addicts. He hates them. He needs to walk home? Someone will drive him. He, he, he will always get a ride. I think everybody knows him. He's just like the town. So, Wait, so that. that dude just wanders around and wherever he goes, he just makes friends? Pretty much. That's just crazy! Everybody here knows him. -- Do not think that's, like, bizarre? Is that just totally normal?

Pretty much. I'm sure from your perspective, it's insane, but, like. you know I grew up around it. He pretty much just. he walks the roads. Between Sand Gap and McKee. Oh, so, so, you can never find where he is. Like, he doesn't. does he have a phone? No. He doesn't know. Really? No, I swear, he can teleport! No phone. Like, you can see him in Sand Gap, and he will beat you to McKee somehow. So, he doesn't work? He just wanders around and just- He wanders around and asks for five dollars.

"You got five dollars?" Oh, I should have given him money. Oh, I feel bad. Don't feel bad. I got a story on that. A guy I know. Jeff had came up and asked him for five dollars to buy. Mountain Dew and a candy bar. He loves Mountain Dew and candy bars. And he watched Jeff go to the counter at the store, we was just at Whistle Stop, and pay with a hundred-dollar bill. What?! Yeah, he's. he's a trip, man. Dude, is this guy just slinging something? He's out, he's out here. He's. He's the most mysterious guy.

He's hustling for a dollar. That looks like a mom-and-pop shop next to this cracked-out building. It is. This is one of. the better places to eat in this county. And it is cheap. Hell yeah! Dude, look at this what is this building? Hold on a second. What is this? I'm not sure. Alright, what are we getting? We're loading up on food right now, bro. We're getting ice cream, but we're getting real food before the ice cream. If you. get a peanut butter milkshake, if you like peanut butter.

I like peanut butter. Peanut butter milkshake. I'm getting a peanut butter milkshake. If you tell me it's good, I'm getting it! You order here? You order right here. Hello! How you doing? Can I get a. a cheeseburger? And, uh. what did Steve want? A bacon cheeseburger. And I've been told that this is the best peanut butter. shake in Kentucky. Yep. Is that true? Alright, I'm going to have a peanut butter shake. Large or small? Two small? How do I pay you? I can't. I can't see anything.

There you go. I feel like I'm in jail right now! Has anyone else ever said that? Like the county jailhouse. No. You can't get the feel for the world just staying in a place like this your whole life. Other people don't think like that. Like, if you ask around, they'll probably be like, "Nah, I don't want to go anywhere. I want to just stay here." It's like my grandpa. He.

He doesn't care if he ever leaves. Yeah. I feel like most people are like that here, but you're different. Yeah. Most of your. older population is like that. They don't want to leave. How you doing? Tryna catch somebody speeding or something? No, I'm just documenting local life. I'm just kidding. Have a nice day! I probably wasn't speeding much anyways. This is the classic mom-and-pop shop here. It's the only.

It's one of the only ones in the county. It's crazy. How long has this been around? Since '54. '54. 1965. Fifty- four? No. it was in the '50s. Fifty four! Fifty six. Wait, this. it was the same location? Same. Really? Yeah, it was when the road was dirt. Wow. Was it. run by your parents? It was in the family. That's pretty cool! Damn. Very cool. There you go! Got it? Thank you. Thank you! Time to feast. What a feast for sure.

This burger was, like. $3 or something. That looks really, really good. That is way better than I thought it was going to be. It's like a serious. For $3, I mean, it's like. it's like a serious homemade burger. So this is, like, the place to hang out? Like, one of the places to eat. if you want to go out? Pretty much. If you want something quick and cheap. this is where you come.

Does everybody drive drunk here? A lot of people do. How do you suck this? Too thick? You got to suck. You're better off. I'm just going to eat it like it's a spoon. You are not kidding, man. That is delicious. Holy crap! How good is that? One to ten? Ten? All day. I came to Kentucky and I tried crack, which is basically this. peanut butter shake. Close enough. After burgers with Andrew, I leave Eastern Kentucky with a clearer sense of what life here is really like.

The struggles are obvious: poverty, isolation, and addiction. But so are the small joys, like sharing a meal with a stranger. In the end, driving through the hollers in Appalachia has given me a glimpse into a side of America that's been forgotten but still deserves to be seen.