CHEATING A CORRUPT SYSTEM

CHEATING A CROOKED SYSTEM

This is how some people would consider my actions, when I secured a new job.

MY non-classified reason, for the job, was simple. I wanted to pay off an illegal debt, and buy a quality bicycle.

While I went under Protected Class, for the employment (which meant that I could work for one year, before losing federal benefits), it was my home state which I had to be shifty about.

In my state, welfare only allowed a person to work, for three months, before losing STATE benefits.

This is why, for my first month, I took all the work I could get.

The job was no different from my last job. It was simple, after-hours, office cleaning.

I even remember the interviewer saying “As long as you work atleast two hours, per evening, you will be paid for your work.”

While I was more-than-willing to put in my full load, at $15.00 per hour, I could not believe the number of people who came to work, put in, maybe, 90 minutes, then asked “Where is my pay?”

Another guy was suspended, for having before-work-sex, with his woman, in the office building parking lot.

Others were replaced for propositioning office workers.

It took me just nine days to go from being “the new guy”, to being the most experienced.

I, also, made a point of keeping my promise to my case-manager. Out of my first paychecks, I put aside both the blackmail money, and the price, of the money orders.

While my worker had promised to deliver the payments, I thanked her, but sent the money directly to the feds.

After this, I continued working to raise money for a new bicycle.

I just had no idea how furious my “creditor” was, when the feds informed them that I had made my payment, via federal deposit.

When my creditor growled “That can NOT matter. All that matters is that WE have NOT posted the money.”

The feds said “Chill down. The money was paid to us, and we have deposited it, for you.”

When my creditor argued “Until WE post it, the debt is NOT paid.” The feds told the creditor “You have 30 days to get him to sign off, releasing you from any wrong-doing.”

When I was called in, I took my worker with me. This is why I kept my cool as the worker slid me the paper, which I looked at, then ripped up.

When the worker said “You cant come back until you release us.” I told them I will see you later.”

My worker suggested that I was playing a dangerous game.

While there was a real danger, it was just NOT to me.

Within sixty days of my meeting, the feds had issued a directive, replacing the entire administrative level, of the agency, with temporary, federal, workers.

This is how I secured my Section-8 voucher.

The most difficult part would be finding a place, which would accept the voucher.

While problem number one would be finding a place, small enough for one person, another problem is one I knew of, very well.

This because the last place that I lived was considered “last chance”. If people could not make it, here, then a street corner would be their next address.

And, YES, many people did come, and go. In fact, most only stayed the two months, of their deposit, and first months rent. The owner than had to use this money to file eviction charges.

Within three months of arrival, most were packing, and moving.

Then, there were those whom I saw at the assistance agency. People who, when asked “Do you still live there?” The people said “I moved months ago.”

I KNOW that this is why, when I traded a woman a “favor, for a favor”, she helped me find the place where I would move.

I did notice how rapidly the landlord came forth with “You know, the voucher only covers $450.00 HOW will you cover the other $300.00?”

When I asked if they would prefer money orders, or direct deposit, they said “Direct Deposit will be fine.”

MY friend told me “Relax, the inside is even better than the outside.”

Sure, it had four bedrooms, and the landlord claimed “I am reviewing other tenants, at this time.” This is when I remembered my research, then asked “May I ask why the house has been empty, for a year?”

The landlord said “Just haven’t found the right tenant, yet.”

The place was nice, and fairly modern, along with nice porches, and lawns.

It was shortly after she helped me move in that my friend offered me another “favor, for a favor.” She told me “You can have all of me that you want, if you agree to help my boyfriend move.”

I, merely, suggested adding a meal, before the activity, then another, before helping with the move.

Lets just say that my friend was smiling when we went to help her boyfriend. This is when I heard his worker give a very familiar “speech”.

She was warning the boyfriend “Understand that this is your last in-town move. If you dont make it at the next address, we will have to move you OUT of town.”

All I can say, about his place was that the place we moved him out of, was not quite as bad as the one he moved into.

In fact, by the time the move was finished, my friend and I returned to my place, for a hot shower.

By the time I had the money, for my bicycle, she was amazed that I did not go for a gas-hog of a car. When I installed the baskets, she understood.

She also, understood when, at the ten week mark, I submitted my resignation, and departed the job.

This way, three weeks later, when social services challenged me to prove that I was not employed, I told them “PROVE that I am employed.” When the worker reminded me of the penalty, for falsifying data, I asked “What are you waiting for. Call the company. If they say I am employed, then you are right.”

This is when the worker called the company, which verified that I was NOT employed.

It was then, with visible HATRED, that they approved continuation of my benefits.

For me, the only complication was that my employer wanted me back. I told them that I could only do so, if they agreed to pay cash.

When the employer agreed, they said “We agree as long as you keep the clients happy.”

Now, I KNOW why I was told this. It is because other, cash-paid, workers took their money, either for booze, or for gambling.

This is why they were penniless.

As for myself, I am enough, of a scrooge, that I took my money to stores, and bought food makings.

Since my housekeeping skills are non-existent, while my ladies boyfriend was being “processed” into out-of-town housing, I suggested that she could stay with me, for room and board. SHE was the one who added the condition.

In fact, it was SHE who attended the housekeeping inspection. Dont ask me how, but she passed, with the place looking about the same as I kept my previous places.

Just as she predicted, though, her boyfriend was evicted again and again. Five times, in one year.

She said this was why she enjoyed being around me. I held the same address, for years.

What made her mother smile was when my lady was heard to say “I should get some of this, and some of that. Make my man something he will like.”

When she saw her mother smile, she asked, and her mother said “Look at you. All domestic.” My lady said “Dont be so dramatic. I just want him to be happy.”

As it would turn out, our fifth anniversary, at the house, would be her parents 35^th, at their house.

It was her father who embarrassed her, by asking me “Any chance of some children?” While she wanted to deck her father, all I said was “We have not discussed it, yet.”

After a filling meal, her father took me for a walk, while her mother did the same, with her.

Her father made it clear that children would be welcome.

With her mother, she would spend as much time saying “He’s NOT my type. I want a real rugged man. One who will FIGHT, not negotiate, for what he wants.” as her mother would spend telling her what a “catch” I was.

When mother suggested that she move in, she thought about telling her elder the reason why she kept her own place, but decided not to. (It had been hard enough explaining to me why she kept her own place.)

The reason was simple. Occassionally, she, and the girls, liked to go out, drinking, and doing drugs, until they passed out.

Before she met me, this was her normal, weekend, activity. Go out, on friday, get wasted, then have a massive hang-over, on saturday.

When she met me, she cut back to every other weekend. Then she cut back to monthly. Now, she took part about every two months.

This because she had her own place, and bed. A place where I would not have to see her, hung-over.

She did have to ask her mother “Why do I think of him, when I am planning, with my friends?” When she KNEW what her mother was about to say, she said “DONT say it.”

The time when she REALLY knew she was in trouble was the day when a real “Conan” approached her, and tried to make a move.

She had no idea of why, but she decked him, then left the bar.

At her parents house, she asked her mother to check her for illness. Her mothers suggestion was “GO home to your man. If you still feel sick, then go to a doctor.”

When she came home, to me, she found she had no problem, removing her street clothes, then snuggling up to me.

After a deep kiss, she whispered “Baby, whats wrong with me?” I had no answer.

The next year, she DID move in, with me, “temporarily”. This because her landlord sold out to some group, who wanted to develop condominiums.

We, both, questioned this since, in her neighborhood, all decent people were indoors, by sun-down.

Now, she was looking for another, cheap, place. I would have suggested that she go with Section-8. There was just one problem.

She had a drug conviction, from years before, and this meant that she could not enroll in low-income housing.

This is why she moved all of her stuff into OUR place. This way, she would have time to look for another place.

Even my landlord offered to help, if something, affordable, came along.

While we monitored the news, on her old place, the news was about what we expected.

The condo’s had a renting price of $2,000 per month. We even took a public tour.

My lady was correct. The condo’s stayed vacant, for over a year, until sold to the same kind of fund, where too much of our city’s other properties “floated in limbo”.

A fund which the city kept billing, for basic repair work, yet which never paid the city one cent.

The condo’s would become “flop-houses”, drug places, and so on, until the city bulldozed them, and put in a parking lot. Not that the area needed a parking lot.

I was just thankful that no one questioned our relationship. This since, after all, she was being PAID to keep my place up.

When she asked about the future, I told her “I have no plans to leave this place.” then added “You are welcome to stay.”

Eventually, the law required that her conviction come OFF of her record. This since she had no subsequent record, of criminal activity.

When asked if she wanted to apply for a housing voucher, all she said was “Let me THINK about it.”

After this, she came home, looked at me, and wondered “Can I ever do better than this?”