Gob Smacked Saturday Night

It’s late Monday morning as I write this. I’ve still several hours before my first scheduled shift at Dominick’s begins, and though I’ve spent the morning looking for additional employment online, I need a break. This seems like a good time to share some few odd musings from this past Saturday.

Following my early morning harvesting in the Forest Preserves, I spent the rest of the day in the Elk Grove Village library. Working the job boards, peeking in on Model Mayhem, processing a couple TGO shots – my usual “library time” routine.

The library closes at 5:00 on Saturdays, so I got home around 5:30 that evening. I discovered a birthday party in progress next door. Very festive! Helium filled balloons were tied to the fence with crepe paper streamers strung between. Brightly colored posters & a Pin The Tail on The Donkey game were affixed to the shed in the rear. And a very bright red and yellow, star-shaped piñata was suspended from a rope strung between the shed and their tree in the front of the lot.

About a dozen or so kids from 4 to 14 years old were busy playing in the yard, while parents looked on and chatted quietly. Amongst other things, I could smell ribs cooking over charcoal, and the entire neighborhood could hear the salsa playing on the radio. A very happy scene…

The couch in my living room is situated next to the window overlooking their yard. This is where I sit when the light’s good enough to read by. The sill is wide enough to hold a coffee mug or can of soda and more days than not there’s a lovely breeze making for a very comfortable little reading “nook.”

Saturday evening I settled in with one of my favorite authors (Anne McCaffrey if it matters) and opened one of her many Pern novels. I didn’t get very far, though – the party next door was a happy & noisy one and I just couldn’t concentrate for more than a sentence or two.

After a while I gave it up and watched the kids playing in the yard, smiling at times – laughing at others. At one point one of the kids tripped while running & fell onto their sidewalk, and like the parents, I sat up a little straighter and was relieved to see him get up, only his pride injured – and that not badly.

My neighbors are from Mexico, and do not speak English – or at least not very much. It’s been way too many years since my last high school Spanish class, so we don’t speak often, or at all if I want to be completely honest here. Oh, we’re friendly enough – we nod hello in the mornings or evenings getting in or out of our cars, but language is definitely a barrier to any meaningful conversation.

But I digress…

I got to see the kids race around, playing Pin The Tail On The Donkey, Musical Chairs with hot, hot, hot salsa and even have sack races using tall kitchen can bags. Smiles & laughter were very definitely the order of the day.

All the while, the birthday boy’s father was manning the grill. Every few minutes or so he’d pull another short slab of ribs off the grill, cut them up into individual ribs and call out to the kids to come fix their plates…

When the sun started going down, it was time to start on the piñata. The kids all lined up to take turns, with the birthday boy’s mother at the front of the line with blindfold & stick ready. Dad got the ladder from the shed and started working the rope, raising & lowering the piñata at odd intervals, and the kids got started.

Each kid got to take 5 or 6 swings at the piñata, surrendering stick & blindfold to the next in line when it didn’t break & then going back to the end of the line to await their next turn. I lost count how many times the line changed over, but I’d say each of the kids got at least 4 maybe 5 turns at busting the piñata…

I was particularly impressed with how cheerful the kids were – especially when they failed to bust open the piñata. My cousins and I were never so cheerful when we failed so publicly at any task…

It took a good hour or so, but eventually the piñata was broken open and the candy came pouring out to the ground. All the kids mobbed the area, laughter and shrieks of joy drowned the radio’s salsa as the candy scramble began…

By this time it was well and truly dark & definitely time for me to fire up my Coleman Lantern and see about heating up a couple hot dogs for my own dinner. I was still chuckling at the kids antics as I sat down at the kitchen table to fire up my lantern.

My lantern’s got a few miles on it, so it can be a little tricky to get going. Once it’s fired up everything it works just fine, but getting it properly lit takes a bit of patience. The mantles were just beginning to glow when somebody knocked on my front door.

I cussed under my breath as I shut down the lantern’s fuel supply. Opening my door I found the birthday boy’s mother on my porch with two cans of pop & a plate of BBQ ribs. She’d brought along one of the other mothers along to translate who told me Jesus (the birthday boy) had seen me laughing & smiling at all the kids and thought it was only right that I get to share in his “Special Dinner” too…

I don’t think I’ve ever been so surprised or dumbfounded in my life. Nor so touched. I thanked both young ladies for the thoughtfulness, and tried to refuse the offering, but they weren’t having any of that. They simply smiled at me, set the plate & soda on my porch and walked away, waving & smiling all the while…

I brought the food & drinks in, set them on my table and sat there in the dark while tears rolled down my cheeks. I don’t believe I’ve ever been on the receiving end of such an act of kindness from what amounts to complete strangers before.

It was a good 20 minutes or longer before I noticed I was still sitting in the dark, and when I did, wonder of wonders, the lantern fired right up, just as if it were new out of the box. The ribs, by the way, were excellent, as was the ear of corn, the tamales & the two cans of pop they brought me…

I was even more bemused when my cell phone rang and I saw it was my friend Rachel calling. When I answered she told me I needed to email her my resume – she knew of a position opening up and thought perhaps I might be an ideal candidate for the job… We spent the next 45 minutes chatting, mostly about the job she knew of but also about Model Mayhem & her most recent shoot, but mostly about the job.

For the second time in less than an hour, I was well & truly gob smacked. So, no great moral lesson or point to be made here. No weighty issues to discuss or consider. Just my own reaction to being on the receiving end of two very thoughtful and considerate actions within an hour. A very great rarity in my life…

Oh, yes. I emailed my resume off just as soon as I could get this laptop in range of a WIFI signal Sunday morning… I am SO crossing my fingers!

Until next time, friends.

Perversity

In yesterday’s post I mentioned amongst other things that I’d finally landed a part time job working for Dominick’s. A bright spot… sort of. The down side is that it only pays $8.20/hour and at that pay rate – even with full time hours – I will need a second job just to pay current living expenses, let alone play catch up on overdue bills.

Still, it was the first positive I’ve had since beginning my unemployment odyssey in April. It was a start & I was prepared to make the most of it. Between that income, the ongoing proceeds from my Aluminum Harvesting & my Food Stamp allotment, I felt there was at least a light at the end of the tunnel…

Today it was driven home to me that that light was mounted to a train engine.

The State of Illinois, through the offices of the Department of Human Services – those fun loving folks who administer the Food Stamp program - struck a telling blow.

My Food Stamp allotment has been discontinued. When my LINK card was issued to me & was told I needed to mail my caseworker copies of my electric bill and my bank statement. She supplied me with a SASE to with which to mail those documents to her. I put that envelope to use on the Thursday before Labor Day.

The USPS never delivered them to DHS. Lacking those documents she put the kibosh on my Food Stamps. I’m now a non-entity as far as DHS is concerned. My account has been closed for non-compliance on my part.

I understand the State has a set of Rules & Regulations the State Workers have to comply with lest they find their asses in line alongside of my own. Fine – I knew that when I applied for assistance, knew it when I went through the approval dance and I know that now. So be it.

What I don’t understand is why The State has to go out of their way to make dealing with them so damned difficult, not to mention expensive. Now keep in mind, if you will, I haven’t had a paycheck since the first week in April, as I run this down for you:

There is only one DHS office from whom I may request assistance. It is located on the far east end of Skokie, a full 18 miles from my home. For those of you not up on the new math, that’s a 36 miles round trip I had to make. In a vehicle that gets an average of 15/mpg in City traffic.

To qualify for assistance I had to make 3 separate trips to the DHS office. That’s 108 miles or just over 7 gallons of fuel. At an average cost of $4/gallon, I invested $28 just in fuel to apply for the privilege of eating courtesy of the Food Stamp program.

I was told my LINK card would be recharged on the 11th of each month. I called the Toll Free number three times on the 11th and two more times on the 12th to check my balance, as I didn’t know what time of day my LINK card would be “recharged.” After the 5th call telling me my balance remained under $4, I selected the option to learn when my account was SCHEDULED for refilling. The computer told me I had to contact my local DHS office to obtain that information…

Are you beginning to see a pattern here?

I don’t know how it is in other States, but if you call an Illinois State Agency, the phone rings off the wall. Sometimes somebody will answer it, more times not. I called the Skokie DHS office three times today. I let the phone ring 15 times, 30 times, 45 times – no answer. After the 3rd attempt I bit the bullet & drove the 18 miles into Skokie.

I stood in line 30 minutes to tell the front desk clerk why I was there. I had to tell him 3 times – English is obviously not his primary language. He then had me take a seat and wait (since I didn’t have an appointment) for my case worker to “fit me in” to speak with.

Forty minutes later she escorted me to her cubicle. Once there she asked if I knew why my account had not been refilled. I said no. She then asked if I sent the documents she’d requested. I confirmed that I did so on either Wednesday or Thursday, the 27th or 28th of August.

She never received them. She asked if I had brought the originals with me today. Well, since I had no indication that was the problem, no I hadn’t. The original documents are at home. Since she didn’t have the documents she had closed my account. I could FAX her the originals, reapply for Food Stamps and go through the approval dance a second time if I wanted to.

Amongst other things, I included my cell phone number, email & snail mail addresses on my original application. My case worker did not call my cell phone, send me an email nor a snail mail to advise there was a problem with my account. In order to learn this I had to run up an additional 36 mile round trip to Skokie, lose two hours time waiting to hear the word and then be told that because the USPS cannot deliver the mail I get to go hungry…

Does this seem as ludicrously perverse to you as it does to me?

Welcome to life amongst the aluminum, folks. It just doesn't seem to get any more real than this...

More soon, friends & neighbors.

Seven years...

September 11, 2001.
September 11, 2008.

Seven years after the attacks, and in a lot of ways, we're still reeling in this country. The pain is still fresh, the wounds continue to fester, and the butcher's bill continues to rise.

The economy, despite what certain politicians will tell you, remains at an all time low down here on the ground - away from those ivory towers in Washington. Fuel in Chicago is still over $4/gallon. Even though unemployment is rising, Corporate America continues to export jobs to 3rd world countries.

There are those who say life is improving seven years later. Can someone please explain to me how? And where?

Down here on the ground, I've been looking for work since April of this year. After more than five solid months, I finally managed to land a part-time job that pays $8.20/hour. I am hoping to find a second job to dovetail into the first so that I can manage to pay at least some bills - like my rent, for instance - on a timelier basis than I have of late.

As of this writing, I have managed to raise $120 to apply to my $545 monthly rent bill. I am hoping I'll be able to "cop a little understanding" from my landlord since I will be starting my part-time job next week, but I can't count on it.

Tomorrow I return to the harvest. I still need little things like D batteries for my flashlight, toilet paper, fuel - all those things Food Stamps won't buy. Hopefully, tomorrow's harvest will be a large & successful one, though with the recent downturn in temps, I tend to doubt it will be...

With the new job I have hope...

...just not very much. The return trip is such a long & weary uphill climb.

Back to the Harvest...

A Harvester's Wish List

That time of the month has rolled around again. It’s the first. Rent’s due, and surprise, surprise – I haven’t got it. Again. I’m taking steps to raise it, but at best it’s going to be another week or two…

Which, oddly enough, reminds me of being a kid a couple weeks in front of Christmas, when my entire material soul was wrapped up with just one project. My letter to Santa with “this year’s” most heart-felt wishes…

So, it’s not December, but in memory of that younger me, here’s my most current list of heart-felt wishes. If you’re able & willing, please…

* Work: A job. I’m not picky. Just about any job (or jobs) full or part time will do. Office, clerical, administrative, photographic, transportation, general labor, cleaning kennels – with only one or two exceptions (telemarketing/sales & working McDonald’s fryer) it doesn’t matter what type of work it is. I just want to get back to feeling like a productive member of society again. You know, somebody who can actually pay his own rent, utilities, buy food & gas – a real person worthy of respect & courtesy;

* Rent: I am once again very much in danger of losing my home of 24+ years. My rent is $525/month, and I just don’t have it. I’m hoping I can raise at least part by selling of certain items, but if you have it in your heart & your checkbook to help me raise it, then please… It may take me a while, but I will pay you back;

* Tender: I mentioned in an earlier post that I am now a Food Stamp recipient. Hunger isn’t the issue it was two short weeks ago, but Food Stamps won’t pay for any non-food items I routinely pick up at the grocery. Things like Toilet Paper, Soap, Antacids, etc. For these and other like items I need to pay cash. My Aluminum Harvest helps, but not enough. So this ‘Wish’ is for Legal Tender in the form of gift cards that may be redeemed for those little necessities Food Stamps won’t buy;

* Time: A commodity many of us find in short supply. In my case I need time in the form of minutes on my cell phone. I have a T-Mobile Pre-Paid phone which needs refilling as minutes are used. T-Mobile sells minutes for their phones in $10, $25, & $50 blocks of 30 minutes, 130 minutes & 500 minutes respectively. Phone cards are available nearly anywhere, or you can buy minutes on-line directly from T-Mobile that will be immediately downloaded to my phone. Here's the link: https://tmobile.ecustomersupport.com/tMobile/gifting.aspx
** 9/5/08 A Great Big Sloppy Aluminum Harvest Thank You to my buddy Cory for gifting me with some minutes on my cell phone a couple days back. While I got the minutes on the 2nd, I just learned who my benefactor was...

* Miscellaneous Items: Eight “D” cell batteries; Mini-Mag Lite that uses AA batteries; Supply of Bic lighters/box of matches;

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at hal.eskew@gmail.com if you can fulfill any of these wishes…

$5.73...

...that's how much cash I have in my pocket as of this writing. Sadly, that sum represents my total net worth.

As of today I have submitted over 400 separate applications on-line. I have received perhaps 12 replies in response to those 400+ applications. None of the interviews from those 12 responses resulted in a job - in fact, 9 of those 12 positions were filled between the call scheduling my interview and the interview itself.

The remaining 3 positions may or may not still be available - though I've called back at the appointed time after our interviews. I've left voicemails that so far go unanswered...

I have a brand spanking new LINK card, courtesy of the State of Illinois' DHS office in Skokie. For those of you unfamiliar with the LINK card, it's essentially a debit card issued by the State for the purchase of food products only. Being a single male under the age of 65 with no dependents I qualify for $162 in food stamps. Not a huge amount, but a figure I can live with.

The problem here is that I cannot activate my LINK card. Springfield is having computer problems. I've called three times (for a total of 18 cell phone minutes) to activate my card, answered all the computer prompted questions thru the phone and actually manage to both enter & confirm my preferred PIN only to be told by the computer that they are unable to complete my request at this time, please call back later...

Once I do manage to get my LINK card activated, it will be an additional two business days before it will be funded. At the moment I have, count 'em, four hot dogs in my cooler, 5 pounds of Bisquick & a 20 year old can of Salmon in my cabinet. A veritable feast for the Gods...

My rent is due in five days. I've already sold my mother's silver to raise August's rent. I'm at a loss as to what I can sell now in the time left that will raise the necessary cash...

The last time he took me to lunch, a good friend told me that if I "keep doing the same thing I shouldn't be surprised at getting the same results." A mantra I took to heart a number of years ago and would desperately love to put into effect today. I'm just damned if I can figure out a way to apply it to my current situation...

It seems the majority of today's employers will only accept job applications via the inter-web... There is no personal contact anymore;

It seems the majority of today's employers think nothing of having applicants come in to interview for positions that are no longer available;

It seems my lot is hopeless. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can turn things around? Please share them with me. I don't bite. I haven't quite yet reverted to being feral...

Despair seems to be the order of the day...

Pride - and the swallowing thereof

Like just about anybody I know, I don't fit in a single pigeon hole. There are too many disparate traits/qualities about me to make that even feasible.

A few of my better traits/qualities are that I'm loyal, dependable, reliable, reasonably intelligent & fairly quick on the uptake, friendly, hard working, have a sense of humor, honest - the list goes on.

Some of my lesser qualities include stubbornness, gluttony, impatience with stupidity in general, a disinclination to shave regularly, being a micro manager, a tongue that could cut glass, and I'll never be a diplomat - and again, the list goes on.

I make no bones about my current situation. I've not had a steady paycheck in very nearly five full months. My savings are gone and I've had to resort to pawning my mother's silver and other things to come up with the necessary cash to pay bills & buy food. And that's over & above the $0.60/pound I get for freshly harvested aluminum...

Last week I put in my application for Food Stamps at DHS. An interesting experience and one I was not in a hurry to enjoy. Unfortunately, when the cupboard gets close to bare wood, with no hope of replenishment, one does what one must to get by. Requesting assistance from DHS was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Pride, is why...

I've held a job of one kind or another for more than 30 years. They weren't all great jobs, but I managed to pay the bills & keep myself fed. Sadly, after almost five months of being unemployed, the "keeping myself fed" part became a bit too much for me to manage on the proceeds of my harvesting alone.

So I made the trip to DHS last Wednesday. I didn't know what time they opened in the morning, so I left the house at 7:00 am for the 18 mile drive into the Skokie branch office. I got there 30 minutes early, but already there was a line at the front door. I joined it.

Almost three hours later I'd worked my way to the counter, obtained an application, filled it in, turned it in and learned I'd have to come back a week later for an interview that would determine my eligibility for Food Stamps. Had I not requested emergency assistance, my interview would have been set for sometime in September...

Today I went back in for my interview. It was set for 9:15 this morning, so true to form, I arrived at DHS shortly after 8:00 AM, just as they were opening the doors. I gathered my documents & scurried inside and joined the queue at the counter.

By 9:00 I was told to have a seat, my case worker would call me when she was ready. Miss Mond called me into her office at 9:40. We spent 30 minutes or so going over my documents & application before she had me sign some additional paperwork. Then she escorted me to the area where the LINK cards are prepared for issuance to the recipients.

She told me that when my name was called I should bring my ID in and be prepared to enter a four digit pin into their machine. My LINK card would then be handed to me and in two days, loaded up with my Food Stamp allotment - pro rated for the shortened month, of course.

Unfortunately, the State's computer system went down and I wound up sitting there waiting an additional 90 minutes, hoping they'd get it back on line soon. I was rewarded in that they were able to issue me a LINK card at the end of that 90 minutes, but I'd have to acivate it with a pin number over the phone with the Springfield office. The full system was not yet operable...

As many of you know, my land line has been shut off for non-payment. (There's a surprise, huh?) That being the case, I made a beeline for the nearest payphone I could find to register/activate my LINK card. I dialed in the toll-free number they gave me at DHS only to hear a computerized recording tell me: We're sorry, the toll-free number you have dialed is inaccessible to all pay telephones. Please try again from a non-pay telephone. I hung up, chanting odd fricatives under my voice as the recording began to repeat.

Now I have to find a non-pay telephone so I can get this LINK card activated. I'd use my cell phone, but I'm almost positive that toll-free number will connect me to a computerized phone answering system that's just dying to eat up the few minutes I have left on my cell phone....

Welcome to The Aluminum Harvest, where nothing is ever quite as simple as it should be...

The Hiring Process

Yep, that’s me in the picture at left. For the first time since 1973, I’m allowing my naked face to shamelessly hang out where anybody can see it. I shaved my beard off on the advice of several friends, as well as some Job Hunting Tips I found online.

I didn’t want to do it. I’m not at all comfortable being clean shaven, but apparently in this country having a full beard, no matter how neatly groomed, means you don’t get hired. Apparently job skills and experience are as nothing compared to your ability in applying a shaver to your face each morning...

Now, to get onto the meat of this post. First, let me say I’m old fashioned. I believe in work and in working. I actually enjoy having somewhere to be and something to do on a regular basis that actually, in some small way, matters. If it also pays the bills, so much the better.

I do not believe in freeloading or getting a “free ride.” At least not once you past your majority or have attained your educational goals, whatever they may be. Once you're an adult, have acquired whatever training you felt necessary, it's time you start taking charge and meet life's little challenges head on. That's what grown ups do.

I can’t remember a time, from 16 years of age on that I did not have job of some kind. Until I hit 19 they were all part time jobs because of school, but I was working. Once I hit 19 and had to leave University, I’ve consistently held a full-time job in one field or another.

Stockboy, cashier, retail salesman, night watchman, mover, bartender, laborer, clerk, typist, shipping & receiving, management, Office Manager, courier, photographer. I’ve filled store’s shelves, dug ditches, loaded trucks, supervised a busy Loop office, driven professionally, poured booze into drunks, painted fences, walked dogs and photographed the occasional wedding.

I am computer literate, proficient in the use of Word, Excel, Works, & Outlook. I’m a quick learner when it comes to almost any software package, and as a special bonus, I type at a very respectable 75 wpm.

I have had managerial experience which included scheduling personnel, apportioning assignments, maintaining office supply inventories and Customer Service. I have billed customers & logged in those customers’ payments, as well as prepared their monthly statements.

On the other end of the spectrum, my health is excellent. I don’t consider myself “too good” for blue collar work. Indeed, manual labor has made up a great deal of my working experience. I would welcome some today, as a matter of fact.

I’m a good photographer & competent Photoshop mechanic. With one notable exception, every image in this blog was taken by myself. I may not be the world’s best photographer, but I do have a good eye and a passion for the craft.

You may garner from the above that I’ve led a somewhat varied & interesting professional life. You’re right, I have. Primarily because I’ve never worried overmuch about what work I did, as long as it allowed me to pay my bills and live in dignity. I’ve never been overly concerned about status or appearances. All I’ve ever wanted or demanded was a fair & honest wage in return for a fair and honest day’s work.

That seems to be the impossible dream, however.

I have been searching for employment since April to no avail. I’ve been online with CareerBuilder, Monster, Yahoo’s HotJobs and a dozen other work sites. I’ve answered the classified ads in the newspaper by emailing my resume or applying in person, depending on the ad’s instruction.

Since April, I’ve scheduled more than 4 dozen interviews. All but five were pointless efforts, however. The positions had been filled before I arrived – on time – for my scheduled appointment. Of the five that actually did come to pass, I was told to call back within a set period of time at each to inquire as to their decision. Nobody ever bothered to accept or return my calls, which I suppose is a fair indication of their decision.

I’d like to additionally note that not one of the employers who filled the advertised position prior to my interview had the courtesy to call & cancel our appointment. Instead they informed myself & every other applicant on our arrival, thus allowing each of us to waste time & other resources we can ill afford. The price of gas today ain’t cheap folks, and this practice of allowing applicants to waste what precious resources they have left is nothing less than an exercise in applied arrogance.

One of the most infuriating aspects of this job hunt is Corporate America’s insistence that applications be made on-line only. Fine and dandy practice for them, but it amounts to little more than a shot in the dark for applicants. We have no way to confirm the application arrived, whether it was reviewed by a live person or if it got dumped into a “holding tank” for ‘x’ many days before being flushed to make room for the next batch.

Employers do not let the applicants know the application has been received. Nor do they post a contact name on the job advertisements to follow up with after a period of time. The applicant is literally left in limbo not knowing whether he’s making progress towards employment or simply spinning his digital wheels to no good purpose.

In the meantime, expenses continue. Rent, food, fuel, laundry… Savings run out, friends and family start to shun you, refusing to take or return your calls. Food becomes scarce, your home is in jeopardy, utilities are cut off. And still no hope on the horizon, no matter what you do or where you turn.

Welcome to The Aluminum Harvest, my friends…