Poverty, Eviction and Other Unwelcome Beasts

I'm in the midst of completing the second part of my article about Watkins-Wolfe, the media (including the NYT), the ruling class, and related matters. My writing legs seem to be functional again, for which I am truly grateful. I expect to publish the next installment later today.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited news has finally been delivered: this apartment building, and the one next door, will be demolished next year. We've been given one-year notice, so we have to vacate our apartments by the end of May 2019. I had thought the notice period was considerably shorter, so I'm relieved that we have the additional time to find new homes. Nonetheless, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed when I think about everything that must be done to accomplish a move. Being old and infirm, and capable of very little in the way of physical labor at this point, it's not yet clear to me how all the required tasks will be fulfilled. I guess the periodic anxiety attacks I've had over the past couple of weeks will simply be another part of my life for the next year.

And then there's the usual monthly anxiety attack, as the first rolls around again and I have to pay another set of bills. (By the way, it appears that the owners of this building will be putting the funds they're required to pay tenants in a forced eviction into escrow accounts, rather than distributing individual checks in one lump sum. I suspect this will complicate my life considerably, and may mean I will have to come up with the money for various expenses in the first instance, and then get reimbursed. But I'll be investigating this, among many other issues, over the next few weeks.)

Anyway, the immediate situation is dire. I am close to completely broke -- just a little money left for food (about a hundred bucks), and nothing for rent, internet, and a few other bills. I've sometimes been a bit casual when asking for donations (I hate doing it, and I hate sounding desperate all the time -- and I'm sure it's not very pleasant for you, either), so let me state clearly that this is very serious. If at all possible, I need to raise the rent money, plus a bit more for internet service and a couple of other indispensable items, by early next week. So I thought I'd better get this post up now and not wait any longer. Since the countdown for eviction has begun, this would be the worst time for me to be late with the rent. It would hand the owners the perfect opportunity to get rid of me without having to pay me a cent.

I would be tremendously grateful for any help you may be able to provide. I truly don't know how to express my gratitude for all your kindnesses over the years; as I've noted many times before, if not for your remarkable generosity and support, I would long ago have ceased to be here, or probably anywhere. And I do have a strong sense that I may finally be returning to writing regularly; at the moment, I'm finding writing to be a wonderful, immensely enjoyable distraction from all these "real-life" problems. If that were to happen, it would be a blessing in the midst of what will undoubtedly be a good deal of chaos (hopefully, managed chaos, but chaos nonetheless).

My deepest thanks, as always, for your patience and interest, and for all your great kindness and support, of all kinds. Words fail. (A frightfully embarrassing admission, to be sure, but there it is.)