Panhandle Tags

To the kind people of the world,
I am writing this to you as a last effort to aid in my families dire situation. 4 years ago I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, A chronic and crippling disease of the spine. As a father of a 3 year old, this disease renders me unable to do a lot with my son. Social Security Disability has denied me, and to add to it, we have no health insurance.
I find it hard to work due to the constant pain of my disease. I cannot afford treatment, nor am I able to keep up with my current bills. (which is not "out side my means of living", but are basic needs. Electricity, HEAT (in these very frigid times in upstate NY). We had 2 phones given to us last year from medicaid, all which are exhausted of minutes from calling looking for work.
My fiance Has finished school leaving her with student loans to be paid back in an ever so declining job market. This does not help our situation. We are very capable of working with in our means, but to no avail.
This will be my sons first Christmas where he actually knows something is going on. We have unfortunately had to cancel all lay a ways, and events we had planned for this holiday season. Our thanksgiving consisted of canned soup and baked beans. (not to sound materialistic) but it was heart wrenching to me, thinking to myself, " I cannot provide for my family"
Then, with all these situations plaguing us, our car becomes in operable. With more repairs than the car is worth. We are now left, in danger of not only having our heat and electricity shut off, but we face eviction unless we can come up with back rent owed of 4 months. We do not blame this on our landlord, as she lives in the same times as us. Her hand will be forced to evict us.
I have never brought myself to do such a thing like this, asking for money. But I guess I am hoping that there are still caring individuals in this world that can extend a hand to a fellow human being. So with the greatest humility I ask of you to donate what you can. This is not a long term goal to just see how much I can "panhandle". I am a 29 year old man, sitting typing in tears, at a public library. This is my last hope. We have sold everything we owned in order to keep our heads above water.
Please, I can not stand to look at the wonderful smile on my 3 year old son, and know inside that I am running out of options.
The most important of all is our back rent though at 350 a month times 4 gives me an outstanding balance of 1400

Updates: September 11, 2011 - I have been able to get a part-time job which is good news, but the rest is just about the same. Thank you for your help Malum Designs
and Pete B.
Since my previous posts have yielded only four donations over the last five months I thought I would try this approach. My financial problems are quite real. If you find my fable entertaining please send a small donation.
- Fortuna vitrea est, tum cum splendet frangitur -

The Grasshopper and the Ant
A Classic retold by Joseph the Beggar King
Part One

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there were two friends, the Grasshopper and the Ant. Why these two became friends is a bit of a mystery. The Grasshopper was a dreamer and a drifter. The Ant was a believer and an achiever.

In school the Grasshopper would look out the window without thought and only learned the subjects he found interesting. Sometimes he would fall asleep in Math class, other times when a angry teacher would jump him with a pop question he would give the correct answer in way that would confound them.

The Ant was a teachers dream, he soaked up every subject the system taught him, gave the correct answers in the correct way and got straight A s. He would delight his Math teacher by doing compound interest in his head. The Ant believed that what they taught him would help him succeed and was very completive. After graduating High School the Ant got an Academic Scholarship and the Grasshopper got a Pell Grant.

Within four years the Ant got two BS degrees in Business Management and Engineering. The Grasshopper dropped out after the first year. He went to live with the Rainbow Tribe for a few years. On the way to the bus station he found an old fiddle in a trash pile along the road and when he got station he was able to panhandle his bus fare. That was the Grasshoppers first beg.

The Ant took the College like a fish to water. During open Rush some Greeks invite him to be a brother in their Fraternity. He earned his dues by being the Frat Houses Accountant and made beer money by writing term papers. One day while visiting the Tri Deltas he watches the girls play volleyball and is amazed that even though they are playing a vigorous game not one of them breaks a sweat. It is there he meets the girl of his dreams, Polly Fishbane.

While the Grasshopper was living with the Rainbow Tribe he never meets the girl of his dreams, but it does not really matter too much because they believe in Free Love. So free, in fact, that after what you might call the Honeymoon he found himself getting a little bored with it. From the Rainbow Tribe he learns to live off the fat of country and from his new friend, Buffalo with Runs, he learns to live off the land. Buffalo with Runs was an very old Indian that was adopted by the tribe. He taught the Grasshopper what wild plants were safe to eat or use for medicines. He showed him how to set traps and hunt small game. Then, during one winter Gathering four people froze to dead because they were too stoned to come in out of the cold. The Grasshopper became very sad and hopped away.

The Ant is recruited by a Aerospace firm even before he graduated college and goes to work on the Apollo Program. He and his new wife Polly loved the Florida sunshine and settle down to start the American Dream. They decide to have two and half children. Even though the third kid looked a bit odd the Ant loved him as only a father can. With easy money down and mortgage tax deductions compliments of Uncle Sam, they get a house with a two car garage. Next they get two cars and the Rat Race is on. The Ant loves it! Working on the Apollo Program is more than a job, it is being part of history. Polly loves it! Raising their kids and Keeping up of with the Jones. She starts selling Avon products on the side. The Ant buys the best bass boat in the neighborhood, but only uses it once a year because he too busy working. He sets up his retirement funds and a small stock portfolio. Life is Good!

After leaving the Rainbow Tribe the Grasshopper panhandles his way across the country. He sets up in parks and subways where he pretends to play his fiddle while selling jewelry made of deer anthers and beads. The noise he makes with his fiddle sounds like a cat being killed and people give him money just to make him stop. Before the Cops run him off, the Grasshopper usually made enough in one day of begging to cover his needs for the week. When he is hungry he goes to a Soup Kitchen and when he needs clothing there are the Sharing Centers. Every now and then he lets some good hearted woman try to save him. Life is Good and he hops away.

The Apollo Program ends and the new Shuttle program does not start for a couple of years. The Aerospace company were the Ant works at does not win any of the new bids. They offer him a job in California at 20% less of his salary. Polly and the kids are in a rage. Nobody wants to move and leave their friends. The Ant sells his house at a loss because the real estate market in flooded by the laid offs. The one car and the boat are reprocessed. He sells off his stock portfolio for the down payment on the new house in California and even though money is tight the Ant decides to take the family on a short vacation to Key West to uplift their spirits. He finds the Grasshopper selling deer antler jewelry at the Front Street Market. While Polly and the kids go shopping, he and Grasshopper catch up and have a couple of beers. The Ant tells his friend about the laid offs and the move. The Grasshopper asks him - Are you Happy - ? The Ant says - Yes -. His friend says, - Good - . They watch the sunset and see a green flash on the horizon.
To be continue.

Hello World: I am a mother of a 7 year old, and a 10 year old. I have a fianc'e. I live in a four bedroom house that I can not afford but got to have a place for my family and a spare bedroom to help out a fellow Person in need. I have always been the kind-hearted to help others and take people in, give money, and contribute to every charity that I came across. In September, I was laid off from my job. I couldn't afford my bills. I joined a carnival and it ended in October. They will not rehire until May. My kids are in school and I can't travel until summer anyway. I have looked for a job, Donated plasma, took odd jobs, Sold almost every family heirlom I owned. I still am behind on my bills. It seems i have no hope. My boyfriend can't find a job, so He goes out everyday even Sundays looking for aluminum cans and scrap metals to try and help. Local Churches and Charities all say they are out of funds. Online Home jobs are all scams it seems. Currently My landlord is taking me to eviction court. My utilities are about to be shut off. I have even thought of selling some of my foodstamps and i know that is wrong and Illegal. I have tried to hold a sign, Panhandle and beg for help. I have gotten into trouble with the police so I quit doing it. I've had yard sales, rented rooms, and whatever else I could try to pay my bills and provide for my family. All to no use. I feel like such a failure. I have contemplated suicide. I use to think " I need to be here for my kids." Now, I think, What good am I to them anyway? I wonder when the state will come take them away from me. If there is a God, If there is any Good Decent people left in this Cold world, Anyone who cares at all, Please help. I don't want yor money. I don't want a hand-out. All I need is a hand-up. I will gladly accept work of any kind. So will my boyfriend. If someone truly wanted to give, I would ask that they pay my bills or a portion directly to the utility company and the landlord. Nothing ever needs to be in my hand. This way, Everyone knows i tell the solemn truth and I really truly just want to keep my family together. PLEASE?