Kristy Keys stands in front of her house as she watches Lane, her 11 year old son, ride a bike through her front yard. “Right now we maintain the car and the house. If we got sick a week, we could lose all of our furniture and our car. They would come get the car if we missed one payment. It’s a week-to-week thing.”
Kristy strikes up conversation with Crystal Miller and her daughter, Amber, at Waffle House on April 21st, 2023. Amber colored two pictures and gave one to Kristy, and her co-worker, Alex. Kristy hung the picture right next to her own daughter’s on the wall by the entrance.
Kristy Keys and her son Lane take off their shoes after a game at the local bowling alley in Bowling Green, Kentucky on April 23rd, 2023. Kristy only had enough money to treat Lane to one bowling game and an Icee at the concession stand. Lane is the youngest of four children. Kristy is still paying off child support for her two oldest daughters, Harley and Haven, who are 22 and 18. Peyton is Lane’s older brother, who is 15. “I’m having to learn all this stuff new.” Kristy said. “It’s a learning experience. Before, I was always high. I didn’t care about myself or what was going on with anybody else.”
Kristy displays a scrapbook page full of mugshots from all of her arrests over the years. Having been kicked out of her parent’s house in 2021, She went to her grandparent’s house, then they took her to a homeless shelter. “My dad bought me a plot probably back in 2018.” Kristy said as she recounted a relapse she had in 2020. “I’ve never tried heroin. Cause I know how I am with addiction, and if smoking meth has me this locked in, then if I ever got started on heroin or using the needle, I would been dead. I wouldn’t be here.”
Kristy steps outside Waffle House to take a quick smoke with Lane on April 23rd, 2023.
Kristy and Lane sit at the Waffle House bar for dinner after dropping Joe, her boyfriend, off to start his shift on April 23rd, 2023. Joe made Lane’s favorite and regular order, a waffle, two eggs cooked overeasy, and a plate of bacon followed by a glass of chocolate milk. “I’m always up here. Even on my days off, I get some sleep and head back to Waffle House to get a coffee and hang for a little while.” Kristy said.
Kristy serves Tammy Gearlds and Amber Francis at Waffle House on April 21st, 2023. Gearlds and Francis had just gotten off their shift early from Country Oven Bakery. With their husbands out of town, they decided to stop at Waffle House for a meal together. “You see a lot of people with different mindsets on the night shift.” Kristy said.
Joe deflects a playful attack from Lane as he sits with Kristy at the Waffle House bar on April 23rd, 2023. Lane played with his cars until he noticed Joe with his arm around Kristy, and then began to joke that Kristy was his, not Joe’s. “You get to have her when you’re here, but when you leave she’s allll mine!” Joe said.