1- The Glass Room 2- The Spirit Stone -3-bear Hugs-4- Believe

by Beverly Machado

  It was earlier the next evening after his walk that he went to sit in the park and rest when he saw some of the men walking up to him. They introduced themselves. There was the man that lived in the trailer next to him. Henry was his name. Then he was introduced to Vincent and to Bob and Sam. They were all his son’s age. They started talking about losing their jobs because of cutbacks and closures. Sam owned a restaurant and with people not eating out as often and just staying home and eating home cooked meals instead, he was loosing money. He finally had to close his business; laying people off. As much as they tried to find work they couldn’t, but were not to give up. They lost their homes and couldn’t find jobs. But Vincent said because his home was under-water as they call it, which means they owed more on their home than it was worth and because they had a second mortgage, when the mortgage company foreclosed on him, he still owed for the second mortgage. It didn’t matter the difference of what it was valued at, to what was owed, he still owed the amount of the second mortgage. That’s when he decided to make a student loan of ten thousand dollars and learn another trade. He was a carpenter, but with shortages of homes being built he was going deeper and deeper in debt. He was thinking of claiming bankruptcy to pay, not just what he still owed on his second loan on his house that was foreclosed and his credit cards, but also his student loan. Then, he went on talking; he found out that you can’t claim bankruptcy on a student loan. Infact, if it is not paid when you start drawing Social Security, the government deducts payments out of your check for the principal amount plus all of the back interest. “There’s no winning for loosing,” he said. He had three teenagers and his wife to support and they were doing fine until the economy kept dropping. His schooling wasn’t helping, only put him deeper in debt. He said, he should never have made that student loan.

  Sam said because his credit rating was so low that no one would rent to him. After all, your credit rating speaks for itself. It tells of your character. So the owner of any rental will not rent to anyone with a bad credit. He said he had to get his mother to put his rental in her name. “Do you know that anything you charge, your interest rate is based on your credit rating? That’s why some people pay less interest.”

  “There are a lot of women living here for the same reason we are. Single mothers that was having it hard raising their kids even while they were working is now struggling. Their husbands just took off. They can’t find them to force them to pay child support.”

  “You know Jane in spot 44 just got a job taking care of an elderly woman. She has to live there with her leaving her three kids to fend for themselves. Once a week, the old lady’s daughter sits with her so Jane can get groceries for her kids then she has to hurry back. Looks like everyone here is struggling.”

  “My son was in real estate. He also lost everything. That’s why I am here. I’m from the south. It will take some adjusting to this weather.”

  “How’s the job market down south?” Sam asked.

  “About the same here.” he replied.

  Everything he was hearing from these men, he was hearing on the news. Finding a job here sounds discouraging. Then when Sunday came with the Minnesota Viking playing the New Orleans Saints, a game Jimmy was looking forward to watching, he was missing Anna watching the games with him. No one was watching TV when he changed the channel to the game. Susan came running in the living room fussing.

  “What are you doing? I was going to watch a movie.”

  This time, JD came in telling her the football game was staying on. “Jack and me and Dad all want to watch it so you are outnumbered! The football game is staying on!”

  “Where are the car keys? I’m out of here!”

  Jimmy was thinking, just who does she think is paying for the gas she is burning.

  Chapter Eight

  The change in the two children came slowly, but was obvious that their new friends were trouble from the start and was not good for them to be with. They stopped helping around the house. “Why are both of you leaving your rooms a mess? You never did that before; and what about the dishes? When were you all planning on cleaning them?”

  Out of Jack’s mouth came words, Jimmy thought he would never hear from him. “Why don’t you get your old lady to help you? I’m tired of being the scape goat away here. I have friends waiting for me.” And on that note he left.

  JD howled after him, “Where did you ever get calling your mother an old lady? What is getting into you?” It was too late. Jack was out of hearing distance.

  “Jennie, come help me. I can’t handle all this work and cook dinner, too.” It was true. But she left, too.

  Jimmy wanted to help his son so he was washing the dishes while his son was cooking. But to cook, he could not help. He was lucky he could boil water.

  He felt sorry for him. Early every morning, JD would take the car and travel to Freyshire or Fayetville hunting for any kind of work he thought he could handle. But each day he came home discouraged.

  Jimmy took his daily walk around the trailer park and while he sat on the bench, Henry approached him.

  “Have you been missing anything around your place? I left my good steel toed work boots that I bought last year outside to dry. They were wet with snow. When I went to get them in this evening, they were gone. I could recognize those boots in a second and if I see them on anyone they will be sorry.”

  “I never noticed anything of mine missing. Maybe I should be careful of what I leave laying around. Let’s pass the word around for everyone to know. I know those steel-toe boots are expensive.”

  Sam, Vincent, and Bob saw them in the park, they decided to join them. They were warned about the boots being taken from his place. Henry said, “You know a lot of these kids are unsupervised since their parents are out hunting for work. A lot of them are old enough that they could be doing something to bring in some money. There are a lot of women that are doing all they can to pay their rent and put food on the table. Take Gail in spot 39, she takes in sewing from anyone here or around here. She knows people can’t be buying new clothes anymore and does a lot of repair work. She doesn’t make much money because she knows not any of us have much money, but it helps her to support her twin sons. If you bring anything to her to sew, don’t expect to find a clean house. Her time is spent sewing. Even her two boys crawl around with soiled diapers half the time. But she is good at repairing any clothes, even sews some new dresses for the ladies so they look presentable when out job hunting.”

  Bob added to the conversation. “Patsy in lot 22 runs errands for anyone as long as they put gas in her car and pay her as much as they can. Her husband ran out on her years ago. The law can’t find him to make him pay for child support; probably skipped the country.”

  “Well what about June? She baby-sits any kids so their parents can hunt for work. Can’t imagine any man leaving a pretty little industrious lady like her. Her husband must have been crazy. At least he didn’t leave her with any kids.”

  “Life is hard on all of us and we all try to help each other.”

  “Yea, well someone helped themselves to my good work boots.” Henry added.

  When Jimmy called Anna he noticed that she sounded down. “Anna, my love, what’s wrong? You sound so sad.”

  “It’s been six months already and you are still up there with your son. I need you here with me. I miss you so. There isn’t any kind of job your son can get to be self-supporting?”

  “He’s trying. He leaves here every morning. He is willing to take anything he can get, but without luck. I’m so sorry, my love. I miss you terribly, too. I want to come home, but what can I do. I have been in touch with my stock broker and it’s all bad news from him. The stock market is going down and I’m loosing money on my shares. I am not getting the dividends that I was getting. How about your job? Everything the same?”

  “Lilly and I joined a new club. It is
here in the city. They meet once every month and make trips together. I went on one of their trips to the Gulf Coast to the casino in Biloxi. They went to visit one of the plantations on Hwy 90 south of New Orleans while they were having a fair, but I didn’t go. I like meeting new people and they are so friendly. They are our age with most of them retired. You would like them, too.”

  “Do you have any idea how much longer it will be before you can return home? My offer for us to share my income still stands. Please come home to me soon. This situation is madding.”

  “For me, too. It is getting worse around here. My two grandchildren that were so respectful and obedient are getting mixed up with the wild kids here. I’m afraid of what is going to happen to them. It’s not just the adults that are suffering from the bad economy; it is also affecting the children. They had good homes, good schools, good friends, and their dreams for their own future. They had plans to go to college and become doctors, or lawyers, or into high finance or own their own business. They wanted to manage those businesses, but without college degree behind them, they aren’t going anywhere; all that was taken away from them. Then the news came that even the college graduates can’t find jobs. Their hope for their future is gone because of these hard times. They are angry for this change in their lives that they have no control over.”

  “Let me tell you about one of the men here. Someone stole his work boots; expensive ones. So even if he finds work he can’t afford the boots he would need.” He told her that part of the news of the people, but not of the single women living here. He didn’t want to worry her. They finally said their goodbyes with both of them professing their love for each other.

  Chapter Nine

  It had been coming to this point months ago. JD was tired of asking his dad for money every time he needed it.

  “Dad, I was thinking; what if we open a checking account in both your name and my name. We could deposit your checks in the bank and get checks for us to cash. That would be a lot easier. Every time when it is the first of the month, I have to get money from you for the children’s allowance. It would be easier for both of us to pay the rent and Power Company and food plus any extra’s we need. What do you think?”

  “You are sure you will not put Susan’s name on the account?”

  “Yes, I would not do that to you. It would be just for you and me.”

  “Let me think about it.”

  Jimmy decided it was better that way. He hated handing out money to his grandchildren that wasn’t doing any work around here anymore. He didn’t mind when they were helping, but not now. So he told JD it would be alright. The checking account was set up, only he never had control of the blank checks. JD decided that he should just give his dad an allowance, too. This whole situation was making Jimmy very nervous.

  Weeks later he told his dad that Susan was having a nervous breakdown and he needed to take her on a vacation until she calms down.

  Calms down? He had never seen Susan calm down. “So where are you planning on taking your wife to calm down?”

  “Not too far; maybe to Canada. That would be nice.”

  Oh yes, son, that would be very nice. A vacation on my money. “You are taking the kids to Canada. They would probably like that.”

  “No, I thought you could take care of them while we are gone. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Why would you think of a thing like that?” he said with sarcasm. “I’ll go along with this on one condition; that you stop at several locations along the way and look for a job.”

  “Yes, that’s a good idea.”

  While they were gone, Jimmy thought it would be a time for quiet around here; big mistake. It was not just putting up with Jack and Jennie, but with them came a lot of their wild friends. They were in and out of this trailer. It didn’t matter that they were underage, the drugs and liquor were brought in and passed around. They became hard of hearing it seemed because they didn’t hear a word their grandfather was saying to them. When he threatened to call the cops, that, they heard and all left in a hurry. Motorcycles were revved up and sped away around the trailer park. When his grandchildren came home about five am they could hardly make it to their beds with so much dope in them. The next day was no different with the exception of Jack coming home on a motorcycle and parked it in the yard.

  “And I would like to know whose motorcycle is that?”

  “It’s mine for as long as I want it to be.”

  That meant one thing to Jimmy. He stole it. “You are going to give it back to the owner, do you hear me. And I would like to know where are you and your friends getting drugs and alcohol? What money do you all have to buy such as that?”

  “Don’t sweat it, Grandpa. Everything is cool.”

  Just then a police car pulled up in their yard. A heavy knock on the door sent Jack running out the back. Jimmy opened the door. “Yes, Officer, what’s the problem?”

  “That stolen motorcycle in your yard, that’s the problem. Who brought it here?”

  Jimmy was not going to lie to the police. “My grandson did. I questioned him about it, but I didn’t get thru to him.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He ran out the back.”

  The police called for a back up and together they caught Jack and brought him to jail. Now what was he suppose to do? He was not going to bail him out. He broke the law and was going to take his punishment and hopefully learn a lesson.

  When JD and Susan finally came home and were told that Jack was in jail and had been there for three days, all hell broke loose.

  “How could you let your own grandson spend even one night in that horrible place?”

  “You commit the crime, you do the time.”

  “It’s just like you to be so uncaring.” Susan replied.

  “Okay, Susan, that’s enough! How can you say he is uncaring? Isn’t he here just to help us?”

  “You both better get more control over your kids. They are both doing drugs and getting more hooked on them all the time. They don’t listen to me. All they do is howler and curse me. I said I would help you, but I am not going to put up with what’s been going on around here with the two of you gone. These kids are stealing, drugging, and Lord knows what else. I’m out of here if it continues.”

  Jimmy’s trembling hands was getting worse. He felt it coming on long before this, but now it was coming on stronger. He blamed it on his nerves not knowing the real reason.

  JD and Susan knew they had to get control of the kids. They also knew they were staying out late; way past their coiffure. The arguments started the minute they came home dragging in at early morning hours only to be returned with fowl language Jimmy thought he would never hear coming from his two grandchildren’s mouths. That was bad enough, but with them being so doped up and out of control it was not just arguments anymore, but fighting. Jack started punching his dad. JD tried to hold him down to stop the punches, but couldn’t. Jack, at sixteen years old had grown in height and muscles, was a lot stronger. Then Jennie had to get into it. There was no controlling either of them. They were throwing each other in to the walls; knocking the table and chairs onto the floor. Dishes fell out of the cabinets, knocking holes in the sheetrock. “You are going to straighten out and get off those drugs you are using. No telling how you are paying for them. If you don’t, then you are not going to live here anymore.”

  “Yea, you think so, huh? You just try to put me out and see what happens to all of you.” Jimmy laid in his bed his whole body trembling.

  The stealing escalated. Clothes hanging out on the clothes-lines to dry were stolen. Lawn tools were missing. Flowers growing in neat flower beds lining the trailers were pulled out of the ground and smashed. People were getting angry. They had suffered enough; now this. Where does it end?

  Chapter Ten

  As if they didn’t have enough m
oney problems, when the phone bill came, JD just starred at the amount of his father’s bill. Those long distant phone calls everyday to his lady friend amounted to a small fortune. He decided to call his brother, Bill.

  “Bill, I know Dad is doing everything to help me, but he keeps calling his lady friend and the charges are outrageous. If I told him not to call her anymore, he would come unglued. But think about it, if we don’t stop them from being together, and if they marry in Mississippi, then if he dies, she gets everything he has ever worked for; all his property; all his money in stock and savings, everything. We have to put a stop to them being together even to their calling each other on the phone. Any suggestions?”

  “For one thing, she wouldn’t get anything. That only counts if she had lived on his property while they were married so don’t worry about that. But I know how to stop him from calling her and breaking them up. Tell him she found someone else and this new man is living with her and if he calls he would be causing her problems with her new love. How about that?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll tell him you and Gail saw them together and they were all lovie dovie and that he moved in with her. That will do it. But what if she calls him and tells him the truth?”

  “Then we have to get word to her that Dad found someone up there that he loves and he is not coming home. How’s that?”

  “Sounds good. Let’s try that.” they said their goodbyes gloating in their mischievous scheme.

  “Dad, I have some sad news for you. I hate to tell you this because I know how much your friend, Anna, means to you.” Jimmy was paying close attention when he said Anna’s name. “She found someone new. She was so lonely being there by herself. He moved in with her so maybe you should not be calling her anymore. It might cause her problems if the new man answered the phone when you call.”