Homeless

@akalinus (44366)

United States

January 31, 2023 4:15pm CST

We had no place to lay our heads and call it home after my dad got hit by lightning and the company no longer needed him. My dad was smart. He heard about a traveling circus over in the next town. He went there and bought a sideshow tent. It always made me think of the fat lady or a two-headed boy. Some friends lived on a ranch that they built up pretty much on their own. They came with their flatbed truck and picked up our stuff and took it to their place. We followed in the 1932 Cadilac coupe with the rumble seat, wind and rain in our hair as we traveled. We all helped to pitch that tent on their property and stored most of our stuff in an adobe outbuilding nearby. We needn’t have bothered. A flash flood came through and ruined most of it. I remember stepping into the receding water to try and save our stuff and it was no use. The stuff made a good bonfire later on in the week after it baked in the desert sun.

14 people like this

14 responses

@JudyEv (381905)

• Rockingham, Australia

1 Feb 23

What amazing events to live through. I can only imagine your parents' anguish.

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

My poor mom! I remember her making tortillas and cooking them over a campfire. I don't think that was her vision for her life.

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

2 Feb 23

@JudyEv I have noticed that we have one vision of how our lives should go but it often surprises us with something entirely different.

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@JudyEv (381905)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Feb 23

@akalinus No, probably not.

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John nyambegera

@thebos (5960)

• Kisumu, Kenya

1 Feb 23

I feel sorry for you, I hope you get through it

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

2 Feb 23

This happened when I was a kid. I got through it and a lot of other stuff too.

1 person likes this

John nyambegera

@thebos (5960)

• Kisumu, Kenya

2 Feb 23

@akalinus what about now

John nyambegera

@thebos (5960)

• Kisumu, Kenya

2 Feb 23

@akalinus if I may ask ,no offense, but are there any ophanage around your place

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@moffittjc (128831)

• Gainesville, Florida

2 Feb 23

Wow, did this event really happen? How does the saying go…”when it rains it pours?” It was already bad enough that your family had to live in a tent, but even worse that a flash flood destroyed everything. I would love to hear the next chapter of this story.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

2 Feb 23

You probably would not believe half of the next chapter anyway. Do you think I should write a book?

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

3 Feb 23

@moffittjc if I wrote about my life, most people would believe that I just made it all up. I forgot a lot of stuff but writing here has brought out memories of things.

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@moffittjc (128831)

• Gainesville, Florida

2 Feb 23

@akalinus I think it would make a great book, especially if you overcame all that adversity and led a successful life.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

1 Feb 23

Sounds like a rough childhood. I had a rough childhood too, but not as bad as yours.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

Do you mind telling what happened to you?

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

2 Feb 23

@RubyHawk Your mom must be a strong person. I'm glad she took care of you all and kept her family together. I am sorry your dad did not stick around for the hard part. I was lucky. My dad took us with him wherever he decided to go. I will forever be grateful for that.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

1 Feb 23

@akalinus My dad left us when we were young children, and our mother had to raise us by herself ,she also took care of her blind mother..Our life wasn't easy, but we're all fine now. that was many years ago.

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Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (18198)

• Raurkela, India

1 Feb 23

That's really a very sad story. You used to listen to my father how they were homeless after the India- Pakistan partition. Our ancestors were rich zamindars in Bangladesh.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

It is unfortunate that we always have strife and troubles. I wish the people of the world could live in peace and cooperation. Do you remember any of it?

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

3 Feb 23

@aninditasen Maybe it is for the better that you did not experience it.

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Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (18198)

• Raurkela, India

2 Feb 23

@akalinus No, as I was not a witness to their luxurious life, neither their life after partition.

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@florelway (23339)

• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines

31 Jan 23

Where are you settled now? Is it just you and your dad?

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

31 Jan 23

I was about eight years old or so. It was ages ago and my dad has been gone for many years. Since then I have lived in six different states.

2 people like this

@florelway (23339)

• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines

31 Jan 23

@akalinus Those memories.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

31 Jan 23

@florelway Yes they are memories of what happened in the past. I am fine now.

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

1 Feb 23

Oh my Jo Ann..what a story my friend!!! I could see it all as you were telling it. You really ought to write this book. I am so sorry for what happened to your Father and you all..what else happened?

RIP your Dad..I guess your Mom is not living now either? We too lost everything, literally everything..long story not great memories

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

4 Feb 23

@akalinus Thank you Jo Ann..courage to you too..you were very very courageous dear heart friend

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

4 Feb 23

I am so sorry that you had so much heartache. You are a strong person and I admire you for your courage.

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@LadyDuck (502215)

• Italy

1 Feb 23

You lived during difficult times, I am sorry.

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@LadyDuck (502215)

• Italy

1 Feb 23

@akalinus Life is not always easy.

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

It is life. Sometimes it is great and other times, not much fun.

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@DaddyEvil (174296)

• United States

1 Feb 23

Your family had a mix of good and bad luck back then... It seems like most of it was bad. I'm glad things worked out for you all.

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

Life is a mix of good and bad, fun times and hard times. It is all good.

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Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (69161)

• Centralia, Washington

1 Feb 23

Tough times make tough people? I'm sorry this happened to you and your loved ones. If you haven't written this into a story or novel, you should.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

I thought of it but it was only a few months of cooking over a campfire and listening to the coyotes howling in the cold desert nights.

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@JamesHxstatic (29410)

• Eugene, Oregon

31 Jan 23

Wow, those were tough times. I hope they didn't last too long.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

It was just a few months and then we moved to a house in the city. Then we moved to another state and then back again.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

2 Feb 23

@JamesHxstatic Yes, it is hard to believe that some people never live far from where they were born. Life is an adventure so you just have to go along with the flow.

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@JamesHxstatic (29410)

• Eugene, Oregon

1 Feb 23

@akalinus I lived in four states by age 15 and went to seven elementary schools. It was a strnge way to live.

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@LindaOHio (222285)

• United States

1 Feb 23

I'm sorry you had to experience this. I hope things are good for you now.

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@Shivram59 (50154)

• India

5 Feb 23

@akalinus You really had a very bad childhood.Ours was very different.My father was a very rich and respected man I lived like a prince.Later on my father had heart problems.He handed over his business to my elder brothers;but they could not run it successfully.Since then our lives have been full of challenges and struggles.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

6 Feb 23

My dad was hit by lightning. He was working on power lines for a town we lived in. He tried but was never the same after that. He lived for five more years.

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@akalinus (44366)

• United States

9 Feb 23

@Shivram59 Yes, but mom got a pension and we kids all got jobs and we made out okay. I got a job cleaning school buses on Saturday. Also, I washed dishes in a restaurant. My brother delivered newspapers and the other brother was too young to work.

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@Shivram59 (50154)

• India

7 Feb 23

@akalinus I'm sorry for your great loss.Was he the only bread earner of your family??

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@Adie04 (17405)

•

1 Feb 23

Recently there was a donation up for homeless person. I donated some clothes for them in hope they could get the warm and fresh clothes to wear.

1 person likes this

@akalinus (44366)

• United States

1 Feb 23

That is so generous of you. I am sure they really appreciated it.

2 people like this

@Adie04 (17405)

•

2 Feb 23

@akalinus I'm pretty sure they will!

1 person likes this