I woke up early and realized I was in my own bed. I didn't know whether the feeling was a dream come true or a nightmare.
I checked all my mail and discovered that my unemployment check hadn't come, only a form to be filled out. I discovered that my food stamps hadn't arrived either. My bills arrived though. My $80.00 paycheck had come. My phone bill was $94.00, and I owe $34.00 on my Cilco bill. The property insurance bill for Mom's house came. I called the insurance agent and told him I couldn't pay any part of the bill until the end of September, if then.
I went to the ADC office to arrange to get my food stamps, and they will be at the ADC office next Wednesday. I put $5.00 in the gas tank, bought two hamburgers, one for lunch and one for dinner, read all the newspapers that had accumulated during my absence, and clipped coupons.
Steve got his unemployment check and paid me $51.00 of his past due rent. Greg's part of the phone bill is $20.00, plus $35.00 in long distance charges.
My roommates had run out of everything without replacing anything: Small and large garbage bags, paper towels, aluminum foil, all cleaning products, laundry soap, bleach and even toilet paper. I feel like I have jet lag again, and I'm not going to go to the grocery store until tomorrow to buy everything.
I was surprised to learn from the Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chamber of Commerce that Albuquerque has ten percent unemployment. If they have ten percent unemployment, why aren't houses vacant and boarded up like they are here? Why aren't 'for sale' signs in the yards?
