Street Talk: A glossary of terms used on the streets
Jungle - The term developed in Chicago during the Depression era because hobos and other homeless people lived in an isolated wooded area. Several major novelists, including John Steinbeck, apparently took notice and wrote about the place. Steinbeck said those individuals lived by the "rule of the jungle." Abilene has its own Hobo Jungle, which has all but been abandoned.
Dumpster Divers - Can collectors who generally work predetermined routes. They will often "dive" into Dumpsters looking for cans and other salvageable items.
Roadkill - A Dumpster Diver's word for finding a lone can out on the road or in the grass.
Pig Sticker - A stick-like contraption with a sharp, metallic hook attached to the end, useful for spearing cans in a Dumpster.
Stuff - A homeless person's belongings. Often, they will have pictures or other keepsakes that serve as their last link to their former life.
Bush Beaters - Homeless or destitute individuals who "beat the bushes" to steal another homeless person's stuff.
Mark - Someone whom a street person believes to be an easy target for money, i.e. a sucker.
Working a sign - The term homeless or destitute individuals use for holding a sign to ask for work or money.
Bulls - People such as the police or security officers who might hassle a homeless or transient person.
Source: Various homeless individuals and Dean Wright, a professor of sociology at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.