Sorry- somehow what I didn't write what I thought...

Let's try that again..

The White man" could be shorthand for 'the system'

Part of the system is "Welfare". And part of [public] welfare is getting your check {money}. Even on welfare you're hard pressed to make ends meet.

So Charlie="the system" could be shorthand for being without money-and maybe the referent to Charlie {Cholly} as bum grew from this since bums rarely have money.

Hence, "being on the cholly" may have meant being on welfare or worse {being without any money to speak of}.

Of course, I might be waaay off base with this one. I'm curious what other people find.

Best wishes,

Azizi