I’ve mentioned my part time employment as, legally, a collection agent. Specifically, I hand deliver a letter on behalf of the mortgage company and file a report with photographs.
One recent assignment left me disgusted. A single mother with a filthy house (as seen through the open door from the porch), lawn full of weeds not maintained, and clutter everywhere. A surly teenage male came to the door then very rudely called out to his mother. She came to the door and started a “poor little me” well practiced spiel.
Why she has allowed that worthless son to grow up in this fashion baffles me. He should be keeping that yard and that house looking good instead of sponging off his mother.
I know many strong women who haven’t let life’s events and lousy choices in men keep them from living a productive life and raising decent children. My respect for them runs deep as does my loathing of quitters and whiners.
My assignments range from million dollar trophy homes to single wide wobblies in the boonies. A common sight is expensive toys and vehicles (most likely leased) on the premises. I stay emotionally detached, for the most part, but on occasions my hard heart is touched. “Oxygen in use” sign is one trigger.
My visit is, to the mortgagee, stressful. I’ve long ago lost any need to “Lord it Over” anyone so my time on their porch is as brief and impersonal as I can make it. Other than the occasional crazy, it works for me.
The economy? Every month my assignments increase. Most now involve refinancing offers. I anticipate most of those refinanced homes will be seeing a visit from me in six months or so.
7 comments:
It's much worse in Kalifornia. When I moved there in 1982, I was staying with a college buddy until I found my own place. There was a single "mother" in the building, and I noticed she was *always* around. I asked my friend, and he filled me in on her being a "Welfare Mom". Her kids were spaced about 5 years apart, and he said he fully expected her to get "Knocked up again" in the middle of the Summer. he said that at about 5 years old, they kid gets free preschool and meals, and the Mom has to go back to work, UNLESS she's expecting (free healthcare), or has a new born.
Sure enough, come August, she was showing......right on schedule.
DrJim
I've heard of that but can't remember knowing anyone. I've seen far too much bad parenting. Raising my sons to be responsible adults with some self control was often unpleasant but I did it because it was chosen lot in life.
I'm reminded of Tom Joad in "Grapes of Wrath".
Poor people signed a contract from a "predatory lender", right?
A reckoning is certainly coming.
A serious line of work and I wouldn't like it.
And hey, it's all great until you run out of other people's money.
When this thing breaks, and it will, it'll get messy. Just my 2 cents.
LSP,Gb, Old NFO commented on "Motherhood Rant"
53 mins ago
Yep, the contraction is going to catch up with those folks. The toys will be there until repossessed, just before the house is... sigh
As someone who made his last car payment in 1984 I have little sympathy for people living above their means. As someone who, in his thirties, was paying huge medical bills, I do have sympathy/empathy for people dealing with those issues.
The reason for working is to stretch my retirement funds. This month I will turn 78. How many years do I have left before I must live on just what I have? I draw comfort from having relatives who are still active and productive and are 10 years older than me. Until then, "Don't count the days. Make the days count".
Blogger keeps messing up comments so I copy and paste.
You do what you can, when you can, where you can, how you can, if you can.
A buddy works with homeless. He wins some, he loses some. A win to him is getting somebody off the street and employed and supporting themselves long term. More losses than wins, in that game. Some people just like being miserable. Hence the "if" part.
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An upcoming post will touch on that very thing. Right now I'm exhausted from helping my son move.
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