Street Roots vendor Caroll French, or “Mouse,” clad in a tie-dye t-shirt and rainbow shoes, describes herself as "the Energizer Bunny," and she’s not exaggerating.
Always enthusiastic and vibrant, Mouse puts her energy to use. She plays the harmonica. She experiments with photography. She curates colorful outfits. And she devours mystery novels, Stephen King being a favorite author. (She attributes her taste for the paranormal to her birthday — Oct. 31.)
Mouse also uses her energy to sell Street Roots and to help others.
“I like to help people,” she said. “I'm a very helpful, giving person. I enjoy helping, even though I don't help myself a lot. I'm a giver, not a taker.”
One evening, just after Mouse got done selling Street Roots at her post at the Safeway on Southwest Jefferson and 10th Avenue, an older woman approached her with no shoes on.
“I had twenty bucks on me, and I took her to the Goodwill,” she said. “I bought her some brand new shoes, and she started crying."
Mouse believes acts of kindness can change the world. It’s a belief her dad instilled in her at a young age when they used to volunteer together at rescue missions in Eugene and Portland.
“Me and my dad were close,” she said.
Mouse was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Eugene, and she’s spent most of her life in Oregon.
At a young age, Mouse experienced intense trauma, and she has struggled with depression ever since. Recently, she lost her dad and younger brother to cancer and her ex-fiancé to an overdose.
“It’s been a hard, hard situation for me, because they all died within a short amount of time,” she said. “I’m going through a lot.”
Mouse struggled with addiction for many years, but now she’s clean and sober. She lives in an assisted living facility in Portland, and she’s been focusing on the positive things in her life, such as Street Roots and her three children, who are all grown.
Though she only started selling Street Roots three weeks ago, she’s already become a fixture at the Southwest Portland Safeway thanks to her buoyant attitude.
“I have so much fun, I love doing it, I’m always greeting everyone,” she said. “Everybody knows me there now, the employees, the customers, everybody.”
She tries to sell the paper every other day. She loves it because it gives her a reason to get outside and meet new people.
Now, Mouse wants to help others get started at Street Roots.
“I've been telling people, ‘Hey, get a job at Street Roots,’ because it's awesome!” she said.
Despite her struggles, Mouse spreads optimism and positivity wherever she goes.
“I’m just trying to stay alive, because it's hard out there,” she said. “I'm not homeless, but it's just hard. But I’ll be okay. As long as I wake up every day, I'm good to go.”
Mouse has one reminder for everyone: “Remember to be love, and be happy if you can,” she said, before delivering her characteristic goodbye.
“Peace!”
You can find Mouse selling Street Roots at 1010 SW Jefferson St., or if you can’t spot her bright colorful tie dye at her post, you can support Mouse through @StreetRoots Venmo by entering her name and badge number (700) in the comments.