A day in my life of poverty and no health insurance.
Please know I'm not posting this because I want people to offer me help...I just need to vent. The humiliations of long-term unemployment and poverty include feeling invisible and powerless. Perpetually circling the drain, never falling in, just dizzy and scared all the time.
For the last three days, I've had a temperature hovering around 101. No idea why. It started with what I assumed was an allergy attack; the usual unstoppable runny nose and sneezing fits. But then, a sore throat.
That's new...
Then, chills. Sweating. A temperature. General weakness. Incredibly tired, but can't sleep. Throat stopped hurting yesterday, but the temperature persists. I ran out of both tissues and ibuprofen late last night, about the same time I got an automated email notice (from Big Evil Corporate Landlord / Overlord) saying if I didn't pay my parking fee by tomorrow at 6pm, my passcard will be suspended.
I flat-out don't have the money...
So, I needed to drag my sick ass out to my car and get to the store (with my last few dollars) for ibuprofen and tissues (and toilet paper) and back into my parking space before I'm locked out at 6.
That's when things got ugly...
Car won't start. I turn the key, radio and lights come on, engine doesn't. Just click click click click click click....I check the battery connections, check the wires to the starter. All clear. It's gotta be either the starter itself or the solenoid. Yeah, you learn how to fix cars when you're always broke.
I don't have AAA anymore, when the bill came I couldn't pay it...
The closest place to buy auto parts is about five miles away. The closest friend I have is about 200 miles away. I can't pay a mechanic - or afford a tow truck. Depending on my health, maybe I can walk to the auto parts store tomorrow or see if they can deliver. And, of course, I could be diagnosing the problem wrong and waste money on auto parts that don't fix the problem.
Very likely. But what choice do I have?
I expect a replacement solenoid will cost between $100 and $200...which means....if I get my car running, I still won't be able to pay the parking fee. My car will essentially be a hostage of my outstanding parking fee. Which, of course, will double on August 1st.
Even if I get a job offer and start working tomorrow, I still won't be able to pay my outstanding parking fees on Aug 1.
Oh, no wait, if I get a job offer when my car isn't running.....how can I possibly get to work?
I could just survive without my car until I can save enough to repair it. That will sure make job hunting fun, huh? Oh, wait, fixing it doesn't actually mean I can drive it, because it'll be trapped in the parking lot because my passcard won't work.
This is the Catch 22 of poverty...
Meanwhile, I'm sick and I don't know why.
Meanwhile, my Evil Overlord is slowly chipping away at my credit rating and using that to charge me even more.
Meanwhile, I have a job interview Monday that's ten miles away, nowhere near public transportation.
This is my reality, and I'm sure I'm not alone, and the politicians and the dumbass media yammers on about lighbulbs and tax cuts for the wealthiest among us. I would KILL to pay more taxes! Should I be so lucky to have income worth taxing!