As mentioned by a friend, I realize I should put the whole story in one place, to better illustrate what we have been dealing with.


The beginning:

2012; a pretty normal year. Our child had reached her 4th year of age. Due to several circumstances, we were residing with my Mate's father, intending to only stay until we had gathered up enough income to set out on our own. I was helping Umi piece herself back together after a world-shattering episode back in 2010. She was also undergoing some ups and downs as her doctors tried to find the right balance of meds for her.

Everything was proceeding along fine as could be expected, until the company I worked for pretty much imploded due to gross expenditures and a drastic shortfall on income. Out of the blue, I found myself out of work. Some months passed, and I was able to get another job, only to be dismissed because (apparently) of my Orientation (Straight). Yeah, go figure that one out >.> When I called the Employment Department about the possibility of Unemployment, he turned around and tried to frame me for 'theft' (of which there was none), and for breaking one of his pumps (which was already broken; he himself had told me to watch out for it on training day, as it was broken some months before). I was amazed at this (and was rather glad they had stealthily patched me in while on hold to hear this play out). Long story short, I found out that he had a terrible reputation at these kinds of things, and that I'd get my Unemployment. And we did, it helped a bit. After that whole debacle, and a few other bad hiring experiences, my mate pushed me to try College. She heard about APUS while she worked at Wal-Mart, and I checked them out. Sure enough; in only a few weeks, I was a student again.

Now; this is where everything started to go south... Umi's Father (through us) met another woman around his age. To us (at the time) she sounded like a great match. She said all the right things, had a great sense of humor, and was very amiable. So taken were we that we arranged a meeting. Shortly thereafter, they hit it off. All was well and good for the first two months or so. Up until we began to realize that this woman was being duplicitous. She started by driving a massive wedge between Umi and her Father; which was rather difficult. She seemed to favor a tactic that I like to call "Twisting the Knife"; she'd mention a past situation that caused him pain (the stab), and then continued to drive it home, or throw out misleading or despairing hypothetical situations (the twist) to force him to her will. It was quite painful to watch, actually.

So, back to our status; we were teetering on the verge of hopelessness, as I was out of work, and Umi's mental state was not 'employable' (as I heard a councilor say). We were waiting, hoping, praying, for the College Loan Disbursement refund that I was due. With it, we had planned to get an apartment and get more stable (as I had just been accepted over at Marlette Homes: Hard labor, very strict schedule, but great base pay). We presented our plan to her Father at that woman, and everyone seemed to be totally fine with it. For two weeks, everything went along swimmingly... and then...

It's still kind of a blur, but that woman had this tendency to pick at people, constantly, in a very self-serving and asinine way. I recognized it as (textbook) Narcissistic Personality Disorder, as I was in my College Psychology class at the time. She continued to pick, and pick, and pick; at me, at our child, then through our child at us again.

Umi had dealt with this woman for so many months. She couldn't take it anymore. She simply erupted, letting flow all the hurt and the pent up frustration; all the words she had choked back for the sake of her Father; and she called her on EVERYTHING. That battle went on for hours, her truths meeting one delusional justification after another. In the midst of this, she was still able to restrain a LOT; I could tell. But, true to form, that woman started to pick at her again in the midst of this; kind of as a final retort, and that pushed her over the edge.

All of her rage; all of her loathing of this woman came flying in the form of... a barely-inflated toy soccer ball. It did not come hurtling out of the stars, or blazing through the room at well over 100 MPH, as something flying due to impassioned rage is wont to do. No, it barely lolled through the air. It even bounced off the floor before reaching her. The impact didn't even jostle that woman's hair, it was so light; but oh lord, it was this 'terrorizing thing'. I have never, in all of my life, heard more over-the-top acting. Even Shatner could take notes. She called the cops and was all fire and brimstone that Umi was going to 'pay for her crimes'.

So, the cops show up. I had assured that woman beforehand, in no uncertain terms, that nothing was going to happen. The officers came in, took statements of all involved, and could do nothing other than suggest we get out as soon as we can. I was given the directive not to speak to that woman anymore by the officers. Ironically, it was such a messed up situation, and she started going further and further over the top making up sh*t like "Oh, it aggravated my Whiplash (which she never had) and (Umi) was so terrifying the incident gave me PTSD (OH MY GOD, YES she went there!)" that the officers told us in confidence that they almost arrested her for falsely calling 911 and harassment.

After this whole disjointed and ludicrous spectacle, one would think it was over... oh, no; not by a long shot.

The next day, we were given the ultimatum to vacate. Several WEEKS before our original planned on date. She had twisted his arm so bad that he didn't even try to work with us, and Umi; for the first time ever, actually felt abandoned by her father. We had to pack up everything ASAP, so we got to work; it took the entire day to get everything packed out in the little open-air trailer they had set out for us, but we got it all in there. They let us stay one final night, so we could get going in the morning. I woke up in the middle of the night to a horrible sound... It had started raining sometime in the middle of the night (it was not in the expected forecast), and that meant all of our stuff was getting ruined! By the time I got Umi going (we were both in a slight panic) we realized we had lost a good 40% of our stuff. And to add further insult to injury; her father and that woman did absolutely nothing to help. She just shrugged and told us we shouldn't have packed it in the trailer. (You see what we were dealing with?) We managed to scrounge up enough tarps and plastic to cover it; though a few boxes were a total loss.



The Tin Can:

In the morning, we managed to get about $400 to find somewhere to stay. We ended up staying in a little tiny motel that had these 'deluxe' rooms (which were pretty much tiny one-bedroom apartments) for $175 a week. During the interim, I received my Tax return (about $1400) which went to a couple more weeks, food, essentials (toiletries, garbage bags, etc) and what would later become our home. I purchased this used 1979 Holiday Rambler for $750. The asking price was $1000, but he gave us a discount because we needed somewhere to live. We bought it with the understanding that there was no running water, as the bathroom had been removed to extend the bedroom. What we discovered afterward was they cut through the plumbing, but never bothered to cap them off or properly redirect them. If we poured water down the kitchen sink drain, it would empty out under the bed. They also failed to mention the wiring had some severe problems, one of which caused all the lights on the right side of the trailer, in the front, to fail to work. The other thing they forgot to mention (and this was particularly important) was that there was barely any insulation. At all. So, our first month or so with our big 'Tin Can' was alright, as we were able to stay somewhat comfortable inside. Getting used to a 400+ ft trek every time you had to use the bathroom was a challenge. Then Winter came in full swing. It caught us unawares, and it was savage. There were so many drafts it's hard to tell where the heat would go. We were forced to abandon the front 60% of the trailer and huddle in the back bedroom area with the one functional heater we had. It was grueling, having to pile in the car, shivering, waiting desperately for the heater to kick on (at the time we had a 1991 Dodge Dynasty; with a temperamental heater, and non-functional AC). I even had to sacrifice a good blanket to make a draft shield for the separation between the bedroom and the rest so we could retain the heat. Meanwhile, I was also working my tail off at Marlette, going from general labor/janitorial to Trim Painter. The work was hard, but it was also straightforward, and gave some great benefits. I figured Marlette would be our final ticket out of this dismal, frigid wasteland and back into a decent life...

...oh how I was wrong...

Turns out, Marlette was just milking the JOBS program (because when you work through JOBS, you don't get paid by your employer, you're paid by JOBS (on a household size basis: 3 people = $506/mo). In turn, JOBS compensates the Business you work for for having you as a worker. All profit, no expense. When it becomes a JOBS+ program, where you actually do get paid by your employer, JOBS pays them back those wages.); they had no real intention of hiring me. I worked there for over a year, and earned the respect of a lot of folks working there. Their excuse for not hiring me? The possibility of a RIF (a Reduction In Force) right after I begin (because I would start in January) because the plant lays off some workers for the slower winter season. Funny thing is, the day before I was given this explanation, Wall Build Section had just had a massive brawl which lead to 6 firings, so they had space open. So I was let go just before Christmas, with pretty much nothing. I went through a couple really stupid placements (one wasn't a fit at all, the other was a total nightmare) before finally finishing my Degree (in 2014).

During the year we got to experience the fun that is several 100+ days without sufficient AC. We were also living out of a few Gallon water jugs. We had to go outside of our trailer, fill these jugs from a hose, and then dole them out over the course of the day. Not to mention the various gaps and full-on holes straight through to outside that we've discovered over time, and the nice little leaks when it rains (which go everywhere due to the very thinly insulated, drooping ceiling carpet. On top of this, after only 6 months, the refrigerator/freezer we had puttered out without notice, and we lost a lot of food. Thankfully her dad helped us get a mini-fridge to keep us going. For a year and a half after that, we were forced to buy perishable food in very small quantities; a gallon of milk was pushing it, for it had to sit in the fridge sideways to fit.

And the final straw; we've found our security to be extremely inefficient, as we suffered a couple break-ins; which resulted in the loss of medications, some property and a total of over $600 in cash which was for rent. We called the police, but they ultimately just shrugged and told us 'it happens'. We have since remedied that with more prudent care of our money, and we have literally, physically surrounded ourselves with those we can trust, and they keep an eye out for us and our house.


Here and now:


I was pulled aside at work a couple of weeks ago by a frantic Umi; apparently Child Protective Services had been called in on us. They proceeded to do the nightmarish things they are feared for: threatening to take a child at whim, with no evidence; judging every single thing you do out of context; slandering you and your name up one side and down the other with horrific stories (which aren't true).

They were called in because of our living situation being reported by someone who was supposed to be helping us. So, they showed up totally unannounced as Umi was in the process of some deep cleaning. Her method involves pretty much tearing everything out of an area into a stack or pile, and then work through it sorting and cleaning as she goes, so at the end it's clean and organized. They showed up JUST as she had the pile going; so they immediately thought this was how it was, all the time. They proceeded to take pictures, and even brought a cop in along with them, griping and judging, shutting down every complaint she issued, essentially shoving her aside and calling her a horrible person. They also told us they had gone to our child while she was at school and pretty much interrogated her there before coming to us.

This left us feeling utterly powerless; I was rather enraged at the gall of these people, and how they had put so much stress on Umi and our child. They tried to take her away, and she fought tooth and nail to come back to her home. Of all things, that was a point of endearment. Umi was in a desperate state of panic. She started to spiral into depression and was hit immensely hard.

Then the turning point came. Another worker from CPS showed up at our door to collect first-hand information. Finally, a chance to prove we were not some hurtful, crazy people. After a short time, they realized we were some decent people caught in the crossfire. They confirmed we were no danger to our child, and so now she still lives with us. The only stipulation they gave us is to keep the house clean (which is not a problem).

Now: After three years of massive downs, extreme temperatures, and excessive emotional turmoil, we have started down a beneficial path. That same person who called CPS on us used an idea that Umi had shared with her, and found us someone willing to donate a newer trailer. It's more insulated and in far better repair, with more reliable wiring (as opposed to the current one which nearly started the kitchen on fire due to a faulty outlet). It's been converted into being a 'park model' which is ideal, as it has ready plumbing and sewer hookups and is properly sealed.

TL;DR: We've lived in an old hollowed-out trailer with no running water for three years, forced to live out in the middle of nowhere simply because they had the lowest rent. We've suffered a pretty hardscrabble existence, fighting for food, power and water; while trying to stave off those that would steal the little we have. I work to bring home what I can, but most of our bills consume it all.

Right now, we are asking for donations to help us with this final hurdle. The trailer we are going to receive is unfurnished, and we need beds to place into it. Umi knows where she can get a really good deal, which is why the total amount is fairly small.


We need at least $250. The breakdown of this is as follows:

$100 - Beds. One Queen and one Twin, Box and Mattress.

$55 - Building Materials. We're planning on sectioning off a part at the end of the main room to give our child something she hasn't had for a long time: Her own room. It's something I used to take for granted, but now realize having your own space is a very important part of a person's growing psyche.

$50 - New hoses and hose insulation. - New Water hoses, flow regulators and insulation to help them not freeze in the bitter cold of winter.

$25 - Toiletries/Essentials: New toothbrushes, toothpaste, TP, soap and the like.

$20 - Propane. A new essential item. This trailer has many propane-only appliances, so for cooking and the like, we'll need it.

These are the priority items; though there is more we could use.


Stretch goals include:

$30 - RV Water intake filter. The water system in the park in which we stay is old, so old in fact that tree roots have punctured the piping and introduce tree sap into the lines. This causes unpleasant tastes, and sometimes a sulfur-y smell. We'd used one of these for a good while, but it has long since expired and clogged with sap and impurities.

$50-100 - Skirting + Insulation. One of the best defenses against drafts and cold weather. Our last skirting was stolen by a former tenant of the park (which still boggles the mind)


The Breakdown of our total income is as follows:

$506/mo

-$310 Rent

-$40 for Phone (which is essential)

-$120 Car insurance

~$36 remainder for Gas, toiletries, etc.



Anything thereafter would be used to maintain the trailer, provide new clothes and/or food for our child, procure more school supplies.

Our donation page is here: http://pitchinbox.com/pages/3866700742

Thank you for reading, and for your consideration.