TheBanyanTree: Adam's Gift

[Terri W.]

Well, I survived the Benefit for Adam.  If I had it to do over again... I wouldn't.  I get too disappointed in people.  People who agree eagerly to help, then do not return calls.  People who ignore my calls pleading for help, then call and say, "You're a whiner."  Um.  Co-producer?  What happened to that idea?  Why am I finding the bands and getting the food donated and writing all the press releases and scheduling the interviews and meeting with the printer and passing out flyers and coodinating the silent auction ALL BY MYSELF??

By the day of the Benefit, I was using so much energy to fight off anger and depression, I just wanted the thing over.   I didn't read my impressions of Bill's accident, or Adam's.  I didn't say how we all got here and what it meant.  I didn't even introduce myself when I got up to make announcements.  Just get it over with and then get out of  my life.

No good deed goes unpunished.

I am, however, happy to say that over $13,000 was raised to help Adam through these days.  It will pay very little of his medical bills, but I found out a lot more about MediCaL and Victims of Violent Crimes and other Victim's assistance programs.  Adam will have groceries and vitamin supplements.  This is good.  

He was quite overwhelmed when I delivered the money.  $7000 of it in cash.  We endorsed the checks togother.  He signed his name, and I wrote "Thank You!" beneath it.  He remarked that he wished people had their photos on their checks, so he'd know who these people were.  People who go through his line at the register.  People who know him from sight at the store.  People who read one of my press releases or articles and sent money in to him.  Strangers who were touched by the tale.

So I should feel good about that, yes?  Yes.

Here's the man himself:

http://www.2ndhandprose.com/images/sp/adam.JPG

And I have found a new apartment to live in!  A lovely new place that I was surprised to happen upon, which is amazingly underpriced.  It's $200 a month more than my rent now, and smaller, but it is well-kept and clean and has a garden and a big backyard for my dawg, Jasper.  A craftsman cottage built in 1925.

My new landlord, in researching me, found a disconcerting item on my credit report.  Apparently I was evicted from this place where I've lived almost 16 years.

Who knew?

My crazy landlady has tried to evict me several times.  And never succeeded.  Obviously.  She failed because I have never done anything wrong.  I write this at the address that I supposedly was evicted from.  On my credit report, it also shows no change of address in the past 16 years.  But an eviction.

This gave my new landlord pause.

Gee.  Ya think?!?

I shall have to work to get that offa there.  And do it before I change addresses.  I have lots of proof that I didn't get evicted.  Ipso facto.  And all.

What convinced my new landlord to approve me, he said, was the call he made to my boss at Trader Joe's.  He said he had never heard a manager speak so glowingly about an employee in his life.  He said he couldn't NOT give the apartment to me, after the testimonial I got from my Captain.

Which is lovely.  And a nice by product of the benefit, I guess.  I do do what I say I'm gonna do.  I do not flake.  I can be a force of nature at times.

I hope to get more writing done at my new home.  Once I get settled.  Meanwhile, I must jettison a substantial amount of crap.  Because this is a grand opportunity.  We do not want to move junk.

Happy Easter to us all.  :->

xoxox
Sidda