MIAMI – Drivers in southern Florida often see Hickory Francis riding his scooter with his six pets in tow.
"This is really a unique piece of machinery," he said.
Everyone he owns, including his four cats and two dogs, has a place on his scooter.
"Life wouldn't be any better without them," said Francis. "I'd be in the loneliest guy in town, like the Maytag washer guy."
Francis spends many of his nights in parks or truck stops. Life, he said, has humbled him.
"Just looking for -- not the pot of gold. I've given up chasing the pot of gold but I would sure like a little piece of the apple pie already," he said.
Francis plays guitar and sings but has struggled to find gigs. Now, he simply wants a job.
"I'll take any kind of work providing it's not dealing with hazardous chemicals," he said.
Until then, Francis will continue to provide for his four-legged friends.
"It doesn't make any difference if you have a lot or a little -- it's how you manage it," he said.
Francis added that he lives by a simple message he learned from his grandmother.
"Enjoy your life, kid, because this is it," he recalled.