One Face of the Homeless

I’m searching for space on someone’s property or in an affordable RV park which doesn’t look like my next door neighbor brought the bar home the night before. Here are a couple samples listed in our local Craigslist under Parking/Storage.  Look at the CL in your area, just for curiosity’s sake. Here's a common example, with the lowest price I found:

“RV space available in 55 plus community. Water, garbage, sewer & WiFi included. Easy I-5 access. No unit over 10 years of age. One dog not to exceed 20 lb. on approval. Laundry on site. $425.00 space rent.”

On the flip side:

“I need a place to park an live in my rv. I am on a fixed income. Can watch your property or do chores. Would love to be in country if possible, not picky on what town. I have been where iam at for 23 years but they sold and raised rent so high I can`t afford. Please help. My rv is 35 ft with slide nice looking. I have one dog who is very quiet an well trained.” 

She attached a photo of her rig, which looks in better shape than mine. I wouldn’t stand a chance…BC’s too noisy; even if I wanted to try a competing ad. She sounds needier than me. There is an open spot on a ranch nearby, but I hesitate committing ½ of my monthly income, not including utilities. And I still need to buy a car.



Pen-pal Rick offered me a spot on his place in New Mexico, even though he knows I hate snakes and would have to get there, which the mechanic deems unlikely. (Still, isn’t this ‘Zebra Snake’ of his beautiful? That’s how I want my hair to look one day.)  Thank you for the offer, Rick. I also received an offer from a gal-pal here, whose property is far enough away from the main road that she doesn’t think I’d be noticed and reported. But her place is on top of a (small) mountain with a road not maintained by any government, and I don’t know that Trigger would make it to the top with the current cylinder problem.

I was also offered an older van to borrow until I find something more suitable, with less mileage. But I’d have to pay to have it registered and insured, which I can afford but it’s still a big chunk. Is this a right choice?  Thank goodness I don't need to make that decision today.

I’m writing this as I’m living it, complete with hiccups, mistakes and melodrama; in any event my fears seem very real. Pretty-much a teetotaler for almost two decades, I did manage to resist the temptation to purchase liquor while in Safeway the other day; knowing how badly that would turn out (since I can be a nasty drunk), but again, this is how people hit rock bottom.

Today does seem a little bit better than yesterday. The Ranger told me he’d give me at least a week’s notice once they find a replacement, and after researching ‘cylinders, and can I drive with less?’ I called the mechanic to talk about what I couldn't comprehend the other day. Ahhh…cylinder 6 is not Zero compression yet; just down to 60. Not necessary to cut off the fuel injection yet, if at all, since I’m not planning on driving this to death.

Can’t believe I (sort-of) understand what I’m writing about. I was also offered help with towing services, if I happen to break down in the immediate area, phew!

So I’m not quite in a refrigerator box under a bridge, but I’m scrambling as hard as I can to prevent slipping down this economic ladder any further. I'm going to put my remaining 1960's Matchbox cars on ebay. One of the last comments a fellow said before I left Community First was,

“You’re only one major breakdown shy of homeless yourself!” I know, I know, I replied, ‘correcting my thought,’ as Mom would say (lest I let bad thoughts into my consciousness). Too late, apparently.

But here are the positive’s I’ve reminded myself the past 24 hours:

If I heard this bad news in Austin I wouldn’t have left, and would be pulling out my hair at the prospect of HAVING to remain in Texas.

If I heard this in NJ, where my remaining belongings reside in storage: also bad news, with a much more expensive cost of living and fewer choices to park an RV.

I coulda been in Indiana! They told me I was lucky to have made it here from Austin, and Oregon is my official home of record. My food stamps are from here, my health plan (which doesn’t cover me out of state anyway), and it is cheaper to live, or it was before the marijuana industry took off.

At times like these I’ve learned to ask myself, “Well, what CAN I do?”

I Can Paint, and there are tall, ugly fences sprouting up wherever MJ plants are a-growin’. Not too much of a stretch of the imagination if I want to try being a Starving Artist again. Imagine the benefits. At least with the van I could get started, hmmm.

"But you never make money at anything you try," Amy's still whispering to me.

Come on, kiddo...shake (her) off!