Now, I must be a different kind of guy

Two and a half weeks ago, I fell on the job and broke my foot.  I was unable to work for a week (and it still kind of hurts, but not too bad) and missed out on a week’s pay.

Since I’m an independant contractor, workman’s comp doesn’t apply and for a time, it looked like I was not only up the creek without a paddle, but without even a boat.  It was looking real bad.

One of my favs in Australia has been encouraging me to pray to God for help, to admit that I’ve done what I can and it’s not enough, could He please help me.  I have not been a religious person in my life, but I figured, well, what have I got to lose – it’s true that I’ve done what I can and it’s not enough – why not ask for devine help?

At that point, my foot was broke, I have no health insurance and it looked bad for me.  I prayed as suggested.

And, my prayers have been answered.

I got the medical help I needed – it is expensive, but since I was breathing the bad exhuast in the boss’s stepvan and broke my foot because I was light-headed and stepped out of it wrong, breaking my foot, the boss felt (and should) responsible for my broken foot.  He’s probably not going to be thrilled to see these medical bills, but he said he’ll pay them, and I trust that he will.

He also gave me some "comp" money, mostly so I could pay my van’s insurance (cuz no insurance means no driving, which means I cannot deliver his papers) and a few bucks to eat off of too.  He also advanced me my pay so I could pay the rent, which is due by today, the 5th, but since my check would have covered that and left me with very little for the next 10-12 days, I was going to be short a hundred dollars on the rent.

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When all this happened, nearly the first thing I did was to speak to my apartment manger, telling her that I would not only be short of rent, but would also be earning less.  My rent was adjusted down $144 dollars (thank God for living in public housing!) and the manager gave me St. Vincent de Paul’s telephone number to ask for rent assistance.  I used up many minutes of my limited cell phone time (it’s the only phone I have, nowadays) trying to call them and not succeeding, and was despairing of contacting them.  I was resolved to going to their office tomorrow and asking for help, and told the manager that was what I was going to have to do; but offered to pay what I could of the July rent.  This was at 3pm today.

After I talked to her, I thought, why not try again, and St Vincent de Paul’s picked up the phone on the first ring.  I spoke to the woman who answered, told her what I needed and she told me that St. Agatha’s, the local Catholic church, would evaluate the request and get back to me.

I had to meet the boss at 4 to get my advanced check and go cash it and then go next door and make a deposit in my bank (it clears much quicker if I give ’em cash instead of a check), then get back to the apartment building before the manager left at five today- late fees would apply otherwise.  It would have been another nail in the coffin, so to speak, more I cannot afford.

Note the past tense please.

It worked out.

I got my check, drove up to his bank, cashed it, walked next door and made a deposit in my bank, and drove home to give a partial rent check to the manager.  I hadn’t quite finished with my cigarette, so I was sitting in my van, smoking, and my cellphone rang.  The caller ID said "Number Blocked", which I might ordinarily have let go to the voicemail, but I answered it anyway, and it was St. Agatha’s church, telling me that my request had been approved, that they would write a check to housing for the hundred dollars I was short.

Let me put that more clearly:  My prayers were answered.

The rent is paid.  The medical bills will be paid.  K*’s letter this morning allowed me to pay our storage unit fee, before it’s late.  I have enough gas in the van for three days of deliveries, and will be able to buy more gas.  I can buy more Iamms cat food (expensive, yes, but best for my black cat).  I will be able to feed myself too.

It seems clear that I should clean up my act, that God has answered my prayers and that I should be a better person.

I will continue to go upwards and onwards.

No despair, no fear.

No giving up.

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