Monday, June 06, 2005

That sinking feeling in your stomach

You ever get that news that gives you that sick, sinking feeling in your stomach? You know the kind. Like when the doctor enters the waiting room and tells you "I'm sorry but your father isn't going to make it" or "We did all we could but we couldn't save your mother."

Unfortunately, I've experienced both of those. That feeling of "I can't believe it. What am I going to do?" At that moment, you literally feel like you are going to shit yourself.

I got some news today that isn't quite as dramatic as losing a loved one but it still gives me that unsettled feeling.

I have 60 days to find a new place to live. Bu - bu - BUM!!!! I know it doesn't seem that bad but I have a wife, two children, a butt load of stuff and some restrictions on where I can/prefer to live.

I work at a private university that pays shit to their staff employees but I didn't go to work there for the money. I came to get out of the unappreciative "real" business world and to help further my wife's education as well as my own. I guess we made wage sacrifices for peace of mind and other added benefits like free tuition.

I live in student/staff/faculty apartment housing. It's more student/staff as the faculty typically can afford much, much better because they are paid much, much better. I cannot afford campus "house" housing because rent alone is my monthly paycheck unless I want to live in the ghetto-looking houses. There would be no extra for bills or necessities such as groceries and clothing for my children.

Apparently, the school hired an engineering firm to evaluate the property in which I live to answer the question: Are they or are they not worth maintaining? Answer: NO! So, they print these excuse letters and give you 60 days to vacate the premises. It's funny how the property was worthy of maintaining for the 3+ years I've lived here and however many the other tenants have. I think one of the things that happened is they weren't filling the vacancies so instead of advertising better to get tenants, it was more convenient to cut the cord completely for all current tenants. Bastards!

There are many apartment choices near our current location but I have preferences. I don't want to move too far from work because right now I can walk there in 7 minutes, bike ride in 15 seconds or drive in 45 seconds. My kids are in a great school district and if I move a block away they'll be in the ghetto district of DISD. It's also a little, just a little, safer where I live because it is not only patrolled by the campus police but the local city police as well.

The main problem is I work but I am still poor. Ain't that the American way? I live in a high-falutin area where there are million dollar plus homes but I live in campus housing. Outside of campus housing, I would need two months pay to make one month's rent.

I really don't know what we are going to do. We've made a few rough plans but nothing is even close to being definitive. I know things will work out though. They usually do but that doesn't mean we don't suffer and worry in the meantime.

So, when you are driving along the highway and pass underneath a bridge, be sure to wave because you may be waving to me. My address is One Corrugated Box Way!

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