AS A kid growing up in Tasmania, Marcus Prentice idolised his dad. One of his earliest memories is of watching him race an American-made Studebaker Lark. "It was great in a straight line, but didn't like going round corners. A bit of a problem in speedway."

Fifteen years ago, the pair had a terrible falling out, stopped speaking to each other, lost touch completely. It was only one of a series of low points in Marcus's life. He was born with a harelip and cleft palate requiring seven operations over 20 years.

Completing year 12 remains one of his proudest achievements as he had struggled at school. His parents separated. He did not settle in work. And at 18, he landed in serious trouble, being jailed for "belting the crap out of a bloke".

Today, he's a changed man - thanks, he says, to The Big Issue magazine, which he sells on the corner of George and Market streets, standing for several hours, sitting at intervals on the Supre store steps, using Nova FM to dim the traffic roar.

"It's turned my life around. Before, my life was miserable and boring. Of course, it can still be boring."

Some days he sells less than a fistful, some days more than 50 copies. But over the years, he has become a fixture, a man with regulars, even something of a celebrity among television reporters and university researchers.

The Big Issue, which was started to help the unemployed and marginalised, gives him independence, provides income enough to pay his $130-a-week rent in Concord West with some to spare, and most importantly keeps him "out of trouble".

Not that he gets into much these days. He has learnt to manage his anger. He watches The Simpsons: "Grandfather told me, 'Boy, you're never too old to enjoy cartoons'."

He also plays in goal for the Street Socceroos homeless football team.

The other day he was whacked in the face with a ball. Before, he would have exploded. This time, he walked calmly away. "You do a lot of stupid things in your life. Then you grow up."

A "homeboy" who wants eventually to return to Tasmania, he's budgeting to visit his mother at Christmas. Best of all, he's mates again with his dad. "He's as proud as punch with me."

This weekend, the pair of revheads will be reunited. They plan to travel to Bathurst providing "rescue and recovery" assistance for historic racing cars. Larking around again.

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