For those who just like to read, kill time and might be wondering how I pulled myself up out of homelessness those MANY years ago, the rest of the story:
I went into "business" for myself. I passed out flyers in mobile home parks advertising that I would underpin their mobile home (put a skirt around a mobile home) if they would
buy/pay for the material necessary and listed on the flyer. I basically sold my labor door to door. I had the necessary tools ... a circular saw, drill, measuring tape and carpenter's pencil.
It was slow going at first. People were prudently hesitant of course. The first mobile home I underpinned took me all day to do, but soon got so good at it, I could do 3 a day by myself ... if I started early. Then people noticed how much nicer those mobile homes looked that I'd worked on and they wanted it done to theirs too !!! It snowballed from there. There was even one whole section 8 housing mobile home park where the owner/manager paid me to underpin every single one of the homes in the whole dang park. At one point, I had two other guys in similar circumstance and skill as myself, working with me ... for a while. Things were working out, I wasn't living in a tent anymore LOL, but work was also starting to slow down after a while. There were only so many mobile homes and parks in town and near around.
I underpinned maybe some two hundred or so mobile homes before I found a job in a machine
shop. I programmed (on mylar flex-writer tape) and operated NC controlled machining centers as well as operated conventional equipment. Made industrial pumps. After only 5 years, I'd worked my way up to supervisor in charge of 15 people.
But I became bored with factory work and I had extremely itchy feet. Sure I was successful as a salaried supervisor in a machine
shop. I was single, had a three bedroom home that belonged to me, boat motor trailer, motorcycle, truck AND car but I desperately wanted to see the world. At the age of 33 I joined the Navy at a substantial and severe pay cut just to realize my dreams and overcome a nagging guilt for having never served my country. In 1986, Recruiter came to my home, looked around and wide eyed asked, "What the heck are you doing?" LOL. Told the fella to get me off to boot camp as soon as possible before I changed my mind. Sold everything and began a career in the military as an "elderly recruit". Eventually advanced to Chief Petty Officer and retired in 2006. Promised myself I'd NEVER work for someone else ever again ... and haven't. Been retired 11 years now.
Picture from the local fish wrapper 1977
... but I still have a circular saw, measuring tape ... and a pencil around here somewhere (pic is several years old)
Go Navy ... saw the world and a whole bunch of ocean
