Wednesday, December 19, 1984

I worked my shift at Alma's.

My friend, that I had dinner with Sunday, left a Christmas card in my back door, and then called to tell me that his family, mother and grandmother, would eat at the Holiday Inn on Christmas Day at 12:30PM.

The ex-neighbor, who rented his house out and moved to California several years ago after he was laid off, stopped by. He was in the area to visit friends and family for Christmas. He shares rent on a condominium in California with a roommate, and he's doing auto repair work. I was able to switch work nights with a part-time employee at Marie's. I took off tonight, but will work Sunday night instead. I gave my ex-neighbor a key, and he can crash here while he's in town. We talked about everything, in general. He thinks I'm crazy for working as many hours as I do, and at the wages I make. I do too, but I don't know what else to do right now. No houses around here have sold. His house is rented and his uncle, who lives close by, is the defacto landlord. All the problems and damages I've had with roommates, while I live here too, shows me I can't rent it out and move somewhere else. Besides I already did that when I tried to live at my Mom's with her. I was in the area, and still had a big cash outlay after just one year of renting out my house. I'm already scared about next year and don't expect anything to get better, only worse. Both of the women I take care of at both jobs could die tomorrow, and what then? I don't know! My health is at risk too, although my arms and hands are better, and I don't hurt as much everywhere now. I haven't been able to get a job in my main profession. If I get physically hurt doing this kind of work, I wouldn't be able to work in my given profession either. Unemployment will run out sooner or later.