TN-61 (II)
A 36 year-old father of three struggling to manage his recovery and support his family with no work.
[The author's household includes himself, his wife, his father-in-law and his three teenage sons.]
1. HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT
Interviewer: Okay. We’ll move on to the next page. If you could just, um, describe to me how you maintain your household on a daily basis?
Author: What do you mean by that? How I—
Interviewer: Well, um. The resources that you, ah, use to make the household run, I guess. Um, pa, you know, money to pay rent or—
Author: Well—
Interviewer: House payments or anything like that?
Author: Well, right now, as far as our money goes. We’ ain’t, we’re tryin' to save all we can to get a house.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But, as far as, as getting help and stuff, I’ve, you know, I’ve tried to do that and it just, things just don’t work out that way.
Interviewer: Getting help to financially—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay, so, uh—
Author: And uh, everything’s just slow right now.
Interviewer: What about, ah, food, clothing, things like that. How do you, how is that provided in your household?
Author: That’s, that’s provided good.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But as far as food and stuff goes, that’s—we keep food and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay, how—how do you keep food? What resource do—?
Author: Ah, food stamps [$508/month].
Interviewer: Okay. So you have food stamps?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: So food’s not a problem?
Author: No, it’s not no problem, food ain’t—
Interviewer: And clothing, how’s that?
Author: They okay too, that’s good.
Interviewer: How do you, how do you get clothing for the family? How is that?
Author: Ah. Usually go up to the blue building and stuff like that.
Interviewer: Blue building?
Author: Yeah, where you, that’s like up there by the city police station.
Interviewer: Uh huh.
Author: Well, they used to be, they’ve moved since then. But—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s where usually been getting all our stuff.
Interviewer: Okay. Is that discounted or—?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is it free?
Author: A discount place.
Interviewer: Okay. So they have discounted clothing.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is it like, um—
Author: Something like a drift shop.
Interviewer: Oh, thrift shop?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay, so there’s not any problem for that. Um, how about child supervision. How is it that you manage that on a daily basis or how is that managed on a daily basis?
Author: Uh, like what they need and stuff, or—?
Interviewer: Well, supervising. Making sure that they are where they need to be, that the kids—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —are safe, things like that.
Author: Yeah, they’re, they’re with us.
Interviewer: Okay. They’re with you.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And uh, your wife.
Author: Unless they visit their friends or something they go vi—visit them a while, and then—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: We’ll get ‘em, pick ‘em back up, and bring ‘em back.
Interviewer: Okay. So, when they’re at home, they’ve always got, have they got somebody to supervise them when they’re at home?
Author: Oh, yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Always.
Interviewer: What about when they’re visiting friends? What about supervision when they’re visiting friend?
Author: Uh, their mother or father are one’s there watchin'.
Interviewer: Do what now?
Author: Their mother or fathers ones always there watchin' makin' sure they’re watched over and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay. The friend that they’re visiting
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Their mother or father?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Uh, um, now what about, I know that we talked about rent, or housing just a minute ago. How is it that you are, could you tell me what’s going on with that, right now?
Author: Uh, as far as the rent?
Interviewer: Yeah, and—
Author: Well, we’ve called several places about houses and thought we had one.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: For 225 a month.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And pay our own utilities.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: And uh, we was getting ready to move in it then, um, my wife called them back and we was go over there and do some little work with ‘em. You know, on the house, and stuff to straighten it up. And, when we called them back they had decided to sell instead of rent it. So that shot us, you know, that shot us out of that deal.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And, uh, that, I’ve looked all over McMinnville to try to find another house and there, there’s just not none out there cheaper enough, really, for us to afford right now.
Interviewer: Now, where are you living right now?
Author: With my father-in-law.
Interviewer: Okay. So, you’re living with him. He’s not necessarily living with you part-time.
Author: NuUh [negative].
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: He’s dad. We’ve been stayin' up there with him. Then, he said that’d be alright till we could find a place to, you know, stay and stuff.
Interviewer: Does he require that you pay any rent or anything like that?
Author: No, huhuh.
Interviewer: Okay. So, that’s real helpful right now.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay…[unintelligible].
Author: That keeps us where we can save a little bit to try to get back on our feet.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Um, how much time, uh, do you have to supervise the kids when they’re at home?
Author: Well, quite a bit here lately 'cause I hardly ever get out. I’ve got to the point where I can’t even stand to go outside anymore.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: I mean, I don’t know, it’s just, I don’t know, it’s just, I don’t know how to explain, it’s just a weird feeling.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: It’s just, like I’m bl—I’m blocked in. I don’t care where I go, I’m blocked in.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And if I get around a lo—you know, a big crowd of people or something I have to just, I have to. I can be talking to ‘em and then I’ll just make up some kind of excuse just where I can leave.
Interviewer: Okay, so—
Author: And just go getting real jittery around a bunch of people and stuff like that and I just can’t, my mind just won’t take it. I just can’t take it.
Interviewer: So you stay home a lot.
Author: I just, most of my time that’s where I’m at.
Interviewer: Okay. And so the kids, when they’re home, you’re there to watch them?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: How often are they home?
Author: Ah, unless, until they, unless they are in school, they stay there pretty much often.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Unless one of ‘em says hey, would, you know, would it be alright if we go to our friends house and play games and Nintendo or something like that.
Interviewer: How, how often?
Author: And then we have to borrow, uh, her daddy’s truck to take ‘em 'cause our car's been tore up.
Interviewer: Okay. So, whenever they go to a friends, you’ve always take them?
Author: Yeah, I give a time limit to be ready, you know, for when we come back to get ‘em.
Interviewer: Okay. So you always take them to their friends. They don’t necessarily go on their own.
Author: Oh, no. Huhuh. No, they don’t go on their own. I wouldn’t trust them goin' on their own.
Interviewer: Okay. About how often during the week do you do that? Do you take the kids to see their friends?
Author: Maybe once or twice a week.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then sometimes they might come over and play games with them.
Interviewer: Oh.
Author: And they’ve got a certain time to be, you know, to be ready to go.
Interviewer: Okay. And so when their friends come over, either you or your wife or both of you are there to watch the kids?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Um, what are other, are there any other ways that other resources that you use in parenting your kids some, like you, you and your wife parent your kids? Do, do you have anybody else that comes to watch them or anything like that?
Author: Well, we got, like I say, like, if we was to, uh, get groceries or something, her daddy’s there most of time.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: When he don’t work real late like 12 or one o’clock or maybe up to two o’clock. By that time, they’re right ready to come home anyways from school.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And then, he’s, you know, he’s more gladly to watch them, 'cause they’re pretty good kids, until we get our shopping done, stuff like that.
Interviewer: Okay. Is there any other, uh, resources that you use in parenting your kids for example, uh, possibly parenting classes. Have you ever had anything like that? And have you?
Author: Have I ever had any parenting classes?
Interviewer: Yeah, 'cause I know—
Author: Uh, no, but I have got one, Todd, that’s got a pretty bad problem. Not wantin’ to listen and stuff like that. And I think he needs help.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay.
Author: He’s one of the main ones I think that really does need help.
Interviewer: Alright. So you haven’t really accessed any other parenting assistance or anything yet.
Author: Umhum [negative].
Interviewer: Is that right?
Author: Yeah, but now, we was talking this morning and he’s offered to get help. He’s wanting help with his temper and his anger.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And one thing that’s, that’s causin’ that is bein’ out of a home, car bein’ tore up, and I mean, you know, I can understand that too. 'Cause it’s, that’s got me frustrated too.
Interviewer: Yeah. So, you’re frustrated by some of the things that you feel he is frustrated—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —by.
Author: That, already bein’ depressed and stuff like that ain’t helping me a bit.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: It just ain’t helping me a bit.
Interviewer: And these other things are just adding to that.
Author: It’s just addin’ on, addin’ on.
Interviewer: And, and your kids, or one of them anyway, is experiencing some behavior problem?
Author: Yeah, and I’ve, I’ve, I’ve tried to talk him and, and uh, when I go to talking to him he’ll kindly look off and then that kindly shoots my temper up and I go to getting that much more depressed and I hate the feelin’ of bein’ that way.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And when I go to havin’, when I, when I have depression, it, it can last up to three to four days.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: I, I, and, and it about drives me nuts, I’ll just tell ya. I thought about signing myself in. That’s how bad it’s got.
Interviewer: Signing yourself into?
Author: Somewhere to get help.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s how bad that, you know, and I know I’ve got depression. I just don’t know how bad it is.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And my nerves has been bad since I was real little.
Interviewer: Sounds like you’re really wanting some help with that.
Author: Yeah. And I, now, I’ve got a uncle that, that, that, shirt ah, jerks all time and can’t he can’t fix a cup of coffee without spillin’ every bit of it. I don’t know whether I’ve inherited it from him or what.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: But, I don’t care where I go, I just stay jerky. I mean.
Interviewer: Umhum. And you said that your son is also wanting some help now.
Author: Yeah, I can go, I can get up jerkin, shakin’, I can go, and I’ll go to bed jerkin’ and shakin’.
Interviewer: Umhum. Okay. …[inaudible].
Author: And I just, I hate that feelin’. I just hate it.
Interviewer: Oh, I can understand that. I understand what you’re sayin’.
Author: I mean, you know, don’t, you know, a lot of people may think it, you know, it’s a joke and, and, I’ve seen people in my lifetime that does it just to want medicine. And I could care less about medicine. If I just, you know, can overcome my depression and stuff, I’d be just fine.
Interviewer: So you—
Author: I’m not that type of fell—you know, I ain’t the type that takes pills like that and stuff.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And if I have to take ‘em, I take ‘em right. 'Cause my wife, I give ‘em to her to give to me.
Interviewer: Are you sayin’ that you’ve, you’ve not been able to take them right before? Is that right?
Author: Well, use to, I used to take one, then I’d take another one. But I’ve broke my habit from that.
Interviewer: Okay, you mean you would take more than what you were supposed to?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that right? Okay.
Author: And then, uh, I just started letting her have ‘em to where she can give ‘em to me right. Then I got it finally straightened out.
Interviewer: So that works for you now?
Author: Yeah, until now Dr. K. [Primary Care Physician], I don’t know what the incident was with him but I ‘pose to have another appointment with him the 7th. I went the 9th and, and uh, the new doctor give me some Lorzapam and we had been movin’ some stuff into storage, okay. And I had a few friends to help me move, you know, move. Ah, my Lorzapam has come, had come up gone and stuff. And, course I made another appointment, I made an appointment this morning…[unintelligible] to call my doctor, the new one about, you know, try to get me some more Lorzapam. Which, I don’t know whether they’re goin’ to or not.
Interviewer: Okay. Well—
Author: And, you know, and if I don’t get something, I just, it just don’t seem like I can cope with life much anymore.
Interviewer: Right, right.
Author: As far as, you know, tryin’ to commit suicide or something like that. That’s out of the question, 'cause I wouldn’t do that.
Interviewer: Okay
Author: …[unintelligible] I’ve read enough of the bible, cau—you know, to know not to do that.
Interviewer: Right. Let me ask you another question about, uh, income and how you’re making ends meet. Um, are you receiving any assistance right now, other than food stamps? Any financial assistance, of course I know you’re on Families First. How much are you getting on Families First?
Author: Uh, 167 or 8 dollars, I think.
Interviewer: A month?
Author: A month.
Interviewer: Okay. Is there any more assistance that you’re getting from anywhere other than, other than Families First and food stamps?
Author: That’s, that’s all, I mean that’s it.
Interviewer: Anything from friends, churches—?
Author: No. I mean, not like I hadn’t asked, you know, for a little extra help but—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: This day, you know, this day in time it’s just, it’s got so bad that just ain’t no body got no money.
Interviewer: Okay. So you’re getting some assistance. Is your wife receiving any assistance?
Author: Just the same as I am.
Interviewer: So—
Author: Food stamps and Families First is all we’re getting.
Interviewer: Okay. So, you’re getting about a 160 something a month and—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Your wife is getting about a 160 something a month is that right?
Author: No, we get a 160 together.
Interviewer: About a 160?
Author: For the whole family.
Interviewer: Okay, for both you and your wife.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Together.
Author: And, uh, that, really that don’t go far.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: I mean, really it don’t.
Interviewer: Well, are you getting any kind of, ah, no, no you’re not paying any rent right now, okay. Never mind. Now, consider the following question below and answer using the letter that best corresponds to your situation. Compared to the, compared to two years ago, supporting my household today is 'A' much harder, 'B' harder, 'C' unchanged, 'D' easier, 'E' much easier?
Author: From two year ago?
Interviewer: Compared to two years ago, supporting my household today is—
Author: Much better.
Interviewer: It’s much better?
Author: I mean much harder right now.
Interviewer: Okay, so you would say 'A' much harder? Okay. So, it’s much harder today supporting your household—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —than it was two years ago?
Author: Yeah. Two year ago we was makin’ it pretty good.
Interviewer: How do you mean?
Author: Well, we had our house. Course, it was in the projects. But we did have a house and I had, you know, pretty much a job. Off and on job. Course I made enough to pay the rent and stuff anyways.
Interviewer: Okay, that was an off and on job.
Author: Off and on.
Interviewer: Doing, what kind of job was that?
Author: Nursery, labor work.
Interviewer: So, nursery. So, you had a job off and on, you were able to pay the rent.
Author: Yeah, but, since this last past July or last July when, I mean, they just shot my rent up so high, and I, it ain’t like I tried not to get help 'cause I went everywhere, all over town. Upper Cumberland.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: I went to, let’s see what was that other pl—TOPS [Tennessee Opportunity Program]. And, uh, I ju—I mean, I just went everywhere. I went all over town and…[unintelligible].
Interviewer: Try to make that?
Author: To try to make just the rent so we’d have a place to stay.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And Upper Cumberland offer, now they helped me. They give me a 180-somethin dollars that they was gonna send. And that, that was all I got. I went all over town. I mean, you name it, I went. And there, there just wasn’t no way I could come up with no seven or $800…[unintelligible], I mean, it was just too hard.
Interviewer: Then what happened?
Author: Well, they served a writs on us. You get a warrant, late warrant, on your rent. And then after that, they get a writs on ya. After they get that writs, they can set you out anytime. So, instead of me, you know, and of course I’ve seen ‘em set a lot of people out. It’s pitiful to watch kids stand out in the street. So, what I done, I just, I told my wife, I said, what I’m gonna do is just go ahead and move my, before they set me out because they don’t care to set you out. I said, I’m just gonna go ahead and try to come up with enough to rent a, one of them storages to move our stuff, it. And she went and talked to her daddy, 'er, my father-in-law, and he considered letting us stay with him. And, uh, well that’s pretty much the way it’s been since then.
Interviewer: So, you’ve been with your father-in-law?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Since then. Okay, and that was—
Author: I mean my wife cleans house and cook, you know, she’ll cook for him, when he’s at work or something, just to make him feel good about letting us be there, and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright. What about other, um, support for your family? Do you, you know, as compared to two years ago, it’s much harder, um, two years ago you were able to pay the rent. What other things were you able to do a couple of years ago that you’re not able to do now?
Author: Well, well since that’s a, well before all that happened, I can, you know, I was pretty much myself. 'Cause I hadn’t, you know, I been, you know, like I said I’ve been the nervous type all my life. Before that happened, I could work. Now, I could work but, you know, we was talking here a while back about keeping focused on stuff. Now I’ve, I’ve had that problem all my life tryin’ to focus on what I’m doin’, and, and, and, and tryin’ my best to keep focused on it and my mind be elsewhere, just wonderin’ off thinking about, you know, well I’m, you know, comin’ up with the rent. And then I’ve I got all this other stuff over here payin’, all this, and. One thing led, you know, lead to another. My mind just goes haywire and nerves and stuff and none, it just, I just, at times I just have to set down in the middle of a field and just sit there and just think.
Interviewer: So, you’re saying that you focused a little bit better a couple of years ago?
Author: A couple of years ago, but since then, it seems like everything just went…[unintelligible] just.
Interviewer: Since you lost the house?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. So, and I understand—
Author: You know. But don’t get me wrong. I’ve, I’ve, I had problems all my life.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: Before, you know, I focused better. But not a whole lot better, but I focused better then, then I have now.
Interviewer: Well, a couple of years ago, uh, you were able to focus a little bit better?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Not that you were focusing the way you want to, but you were focusing better and you were able to pay the rent. Are there—?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Are there other things that you were able to provide for the family a couple of years ago that you can’t now?
Author: Oh, when, back when I was working, you know. What time I worked, you know, whatever they needed they got. I mean, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: If the kids decided they wanted something, you know, if it wasn’t up in the thousands—
Interviewer: Right.
Author: —or hundreds, you know. I would try to provide for them and get what they wanted.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, clothes and stuff and bicycles. You know, normally what kids wants.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: Nintendo games and stuff like that. But here recently, I just ain’t been able to afford to get ‘em a dog.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And it, and it, and, that hurts me, you know. It really hurts.
Interviewer: Did you have any other money coming in a couple of years ago other than your, from your work, was there any money coming—
Author: No.
Interviewer: —in from your wife, was she working or—
Author: No.
Interviewer: —anything like that? So you were able to support the family on your income alone and—
Author: Well, pretty much.
Interviewer: Pretty much?
Author: I still liked a little but, now, my father, if I needed any help, now he was a real good man. He—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: —would help me all he could. Course, you know, he died October the 16th this year.
Interviewer: Okay, so you, a couple of years ago you were—
Author: I mean, don’t get me wrong, I worked, but still yet, I needed help. Finishing out certain things, you know.
Interviewer: Right. So, so, the, you were able to provide, there were enough resources for the family a couple of years ago from your work as well as sometimes your dad would help. Of course he’s not with us anymore.
Author: No.
Compared to two years ago, supporting my household today is much harder.
2. CHILD WELL-BEING
Interviewer: Okay. Let me go to the next page, okay? Now this is Child Well-Being. Your children and how they’re doing. And I know we talked a little bit about this already. How are your children doing in terms of their physical health?
Author: Their physical health?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Like bein’ sick or something?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Ah, they’re doin’ good.
Interviewer: They’re doing good right now?
Author: Doin’ fairly good. Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. So no health problems or anything like that.
Author: Well, my youngest one, Brian, he’s had some back problems.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And, I think they told him that his spine was crooked. He’s got an appointment to go to Murfreesboro, I think, to see about that.
Interviewer: When did they tell him that his spine was possibly crooked?
Author: Well, they told him out here when they done X-Rays.
Interviewer: Yeah. When was that?
Author: That’s been about two or three months ago.
Interviewer: Okay. And so he’s got an appointment in Murfreesboro?
Author: Yeah, there in to go down there and let ‘em check it out just to see how bad it is.
Interviewer: Okay. Well, I’m glad that you got that set up.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is there any other problem?
Author: Uh, far as I know it ain’t. Just besides Todd havin’ his problem. But now, he told us this morning, and it surprised me him telling us, he said, I’m gonna get help. He, he told his, he told his momma, said, momma I want you to, you know, go with me to get some help.
Interviewer: And you’re talking about, mainly, mental health problems with him?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Right, not physical?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: No, he’s, I think he’s got the same, similar but, not a, you know, nothing like I’ve got. But I think he’s, he’s, he stays a little bit depressed. 'Cause I can see it in him, too, I mean.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: He sits around, studies, you know. I have glanced in on him, in, in the room and him just be looking at the floor. Then I go in there and talk to him and ask him what was wrong. Course he’d say nothing.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: But now I, you know, I, I keep them feelings to mo—just about most of the time. And I, I can tell that he’s, he’s got some depression movin’ in on him.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And I would think it was probably, probably might be the same thing I got.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: But uh, I hope it ain’t. I hope and pray it ain’t. 'Cause that’s the awfullest feelin’ I’ve ever had in my life.
Interviewer: Umhum. Let, let me ask you real quick. And move back to, your other son who has the back problem. Did the doctor say anything about why…[unintelligible]?
Author: They tried to say that, when he was born he, was born that he come out the wrong way. And it might have caused it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then, uh, see what else was it. He played football for a while was on the football team for a while and got hit pretty hard once or twice.
Interviewer: Oh.
Author: So, they don’t know whether for sure that play[ing] football’s what caused it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Or…[unintelligible] caused it. That’s what they’re wantin’ to find out.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then, they said it’s a possibility he could have been born like that.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: So, you know, I don’t know for sure ‘til we find out.
Interviewer: Could you tell me anything about how the children are doing in terms of their safety and, however you want to interpret that?
Author: What do you mean safety? How they take care of theirself and stuff like that?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Ah, as far as that they, they’re doin' good about that.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: They, you know, they take and watch what they’re doin’, and stuff.
Interviewer: Watch what they’re doing?
Author: …[unintelligible] sure they ain’t doing wrong and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And watchin’ theirself. It’s what I meant, they watch theirself good.
Interviewer: Watch theirself with? Could you give me an example of something that maybe they’re watching themselves at?
Author: I mean, say if they go, ah well, say if I take ‘em fishin’ that’s around pretty deep water or something, I’ll tell ‘em to keep their distance and stay back and not get to close. 'Cause, you know, I saved a kid a few years ago when he slipped off in the water. And, ah, they pretty much listen. They stay their distance from—
Interviewer: Okay. Is there any other—
Author: And if they ride bikes or something, you know, I tell ‘em make sure they stay on the side walk and out of the road and stuff. But I kindly keep a eye on ‘em and they pretty much listen to what I say. And if they go to wrastlin’ around and stuff, you know, I tell ‘em, you know, not to get serious about it and stuff. And they, they pretty much do it.
Interviewer: Okay. So, they do what you say with regards to keeping themselves safe?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: What about driving? Do, do any of them drive yet?
Author: Well that oldest ‘en mine’s wantin’ to but, he’s 17 and he’s, he’s wantin’ to learn how to drive. And, he, you know, I’ve, I’ve, my wife’s went with him and her. He can, he can drive pretty good.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: But it ain’t like I’m gonna just turn him a loose, you know, all at once 'cause I don’t think that’s safe, you know. I think they need to learn how to drive pretty much good before you turn one loose with a car.
Interviewer: Right. What about their, ah, school. How are, how are their grades right now?
Author: Ah their grades right now is, I guess pretty decent.
Interviewer: How do you mean?
Author: Look alright, 'Bs' and 'Cs'. Now Todd, the middle one, now he usually makes straight 'As.' I mean, he, he really gets into school and stuff and he, he does real good.
Interviewer: Okay. So you said usually makes straight 'As,' has that changed any recently or—?
Author: Oh, yeah, he’ll come home and he’ll show us and then, we’re you know, we’re proud of him. Pat him on the back, hug him.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I think that helps out a lot too.
Interviewer: So, he still gets straight 'As?'
Author: Yeah. An' other two does pretty good. They do, they do fairly good, too.
Interviewer: Okay. They, uh, so the middle one usually gets straight 'As,' the other two usually get 'Bs' and 'Cs?'
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that right? Okay.
Author: Yeah, when they’re there. When they’re at school they pay pretty much attention.
Interviewer: Alright. What about their, ah, behavior in school. How is their behavior in school? Could you tell me anything about that?
Author: Well now I had Todd now, when he was going to East Side. Er—, not East Side but ah, I guess it was the middle school over there. Senior high, whatever it is now.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: He had a few problems out of a boy pickin’ on him all the time. Talking about him and stuff. It was a little colored boy.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And ah, they got into it, had a, you know, went to scuffling and stuff. And, one thing led to another and he got in trouble over that. He got expelled for three days. And I had a long talk with him about that. And since that talk I’ve had with him, I’ve never had another problem out of him.
Interviewer: How long has that been?
Author: That’s been about three or four year ago, I guess.
Interviewer: And he’s your older, oldest son?
Author: My middle son.
Interviewer: Your middle son, Todd. Okay. So, you’ve not had any problems out of Todd after he got into that fight a couple of years ago?
Author: No. I had a long talk with him.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That seemed to really, you know. I talked to him the most, you know, the best I could and told him all that was gonna do was keep him in trouble, and, and just. That wasn’t gonna get him no where at all.
Interviewer: You mean fighting back.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Or—okay.
Author: More or less scuffling, not hittin’. Just rollin’ around and stuff. That’s back when he was a little bit younger.
Interviewer: So you said he was being picked on, uh—
Author: Yeah, he’s, he’s kindly a high tempered anyways.
Interviewer: Oh.
Author: And, he, he can get bumped into or something and, I don’t know, he’s just that way. I mean, you know.
Interviewer: So, are, are you sayin’ that maybe he reacted too soon? Is that what you’re saying?
Author: Yeah, I think he did and I told him about that too. I said you need to just, you know, if you get bumped into or something like that, just ignore it and keep walkin’. If they don’t say nothing to you, don’t say nothing back.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, 'cause they might not bumped, ah, you know, meant to do it.
Interviewer: So it, it—
Author: I been, …[unintelligible]. I got bumped more times than once and I just, I go looked over my shoulder but I thought, well, maybe they didn’t mean to do it, you know.
Interviewer: So you, are you saying that maybe this, ah, boy who was picking on him maybe didn’t mean to, is that what you mean?
Author: I don’t know. He said he done it several times. Said every time he’d see him he’d smile at him and he’d bump into him. And the last time he did he just flew off, you know.
Interviewer: Okay. So this other boy may really have been picking on him?
Author: I believe he might have really meant to do it.
Interviewer: But at the same time, Todd maybe should have not flown off so quickly?
Author: Yeah, he might, he shouldn’t have flew off like he did. I don’t think, anyways.
Interviewer: What about other be, ah, behavior problems in school? Are there any, or maybe even good behaviors. Or, how are the behaviors of the others in school?
Author: Ah, they behave real good.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: They get along with all the students. And now, Todd is, is, is a, what’s that you call, they, the teacher gets him to help ‘em when they need help. Go, you know, get paper and stuff from the lobby or whatever. Now ah, now he’s, he’s changed a lot. They’ll let him go do things for them more than the other ones, you know.
Interviewer: He’s changed a lot?
Author: He’s im—, he’s improved a lot since ‘en.
Interviewer: Okay, in his behaviors?
Author: Behavior has.
Interviewer: And that’s, getting to help the teachers, is that kind of a reward for him?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: So he enjoys that?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: That’s good. And the other, uh, kids, don’t have any problems in school in their behaviors?
Author: As far as I know, they ain’t had a one.
Interviewer: So, you’ve not been contacted by the school—
Author: Huhuh [negative].
Interviewer: —or anything? And Todd’s been doing pretty good?
Author: He’s been doin’ good.
Interviewer: These past couple of years?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Been doin’ real good so far.
Interviewer: And he’s, ah, the middle one you said that he brings, usually bring home straight 'A's.'
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay, um. Okay. Consider the following question and answer using the letter that best corresponds to your situation. Compared to two years ago the general well-being of my child or children is 'A' much worse, 'B' worse, 'C' unchanged, 'D' better, or 'E' much better?
Author: I’d say 'D' better.
Interviewer: Okay. 'D?' Now, I wanna ask you real quick. We did, when we first started this interview, you were talking about your oldest son and his behaviors, you said that he’s needing some help. And you said that he’s got some possible depressive symptoms.
Author: Yeah, now that’s Joseph you’re talking about. He’s got a learning disorder, too.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: He can, uh, let’s see. The teachers told my wife, sent a letter home, explaining to my wife. He can explain, he can be sittin’ here like me and you and he can explain how he feels. But he can’t explain it on paper or something, I mean. He can he can, I don’t know. He does the opposite from—I forget how that teacher said it was.
Interviewer: Okay, so the teacher sent a letter saying that he has a problem with putting down his thoughts on paper, something like that?
Author: Yeah, yeah. He can, he can say it but he’s got problems when it comes to putting it on paper he can’t do it.
Interviewer: Okay. And the teacher said that this is a learning disability?
Author: She said it was a very bad learning disability.
Interviewer: Okay. But he has not been diagnosed with a learning disability?
Author: No.
Interviewer: Has he? Okay.
Author: Well, the teachers was wanting him to be tested for it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And my wife is, is ‘po’, ‘have, was supposed to have set it, I don’t know if she set it up yet or not. But, I mean you can, you can talk to him and you can tell that he does. He’s got a problem with that, a real bad problem with it.
Interviewer: Okay. With ah, learning disability?
Author: Yeah, yeah he does.
Interviewer: Okay. You mean, how do you mean? How do you know?
Author: That’s, that—
Interviewer: How can you tell?
Author: Well. Like myself, you know, I never, I never was the type that could. They could sit down and explain everything on the book to me and tell me exactly what it says an, and everything else and I, and I couldn’t go back and tell you a thing about it.
Interviewer: That’s what your son does?
Author: Yeah, same thing.
Interviewer: He can hear something told to him but he can’t tell you what—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —you really said.
Author: You can set, you can look at him and you can, you know, talk to him and tell him to repeat it back to you what you said. And that’s the same way I am. I can’t. If it’s quite a few words, I can’t look at you and explain everything that you, that you said to me.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, say, we’re sittin’ here talking and you tell me what I’m gonna say something, you say it back. It, it, it’s just hard for me, too. It’s, my mind just—
Interviewer: And your son does this.
Author: He does the same thing.
Interviewer: So, ah, your son, you’re saying possi—eh, he might have a learning disability and you’re wanting to get that checked with him?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And, ah, that’s something to consider with his school performance. What about the help that you were saying that he was willing to get? What kind of problems is he experiencing, ah, you said that he was having depressive symptoms.
Author: Joseph?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Whichever one you were talking about. Now the, were you just talking about Joseph?
Author: Let’s see, Todd’s the one I was talking about.
Interviewer: Just now?
Author: Yeah but now Joseph…[unintelligible].
Interviewer: Todd was the one that, ah, that you were talking about with a learning disability?
Author: Ah, Joseph’s the one with a, a learning dis—that’s my oldest one.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But now Todd, now Joseph’s got, well to tell you the truth about it, I think all three of them’s got a problem with, with a depression and stuff like that.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I’ll just be, you know, straight up with you.
Interviewer: Okay, so you think that all the boys have problems?
Author: I think they got the same—same thing I’ve got. But I don’t think they got it bad but I think it’s, it’s working on them.
Interviewer: How—when did you first notice it?
Author: Well, I can, you can watch them and they can be doin’ one thing, watchin’ TV or something and they’ll just get up and go to wondering around, go from room to room. Go outside and, you know, just, you can, I, I could, I you know, I can watch them and tell when, when they come back in and just sit down just—put their hands between their leg and just sit there and just stare off. And I’ve asked them before, you know, what’s wrong. They just say nothing. But I know there’s something wrong.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: I mean, I can tell 'cause I’ve, I’ve went through it. I don’t know how many times before. I mean, I’ve went through it a lot.
Interviewer: So all of your boys are experiencing this—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —or, or, or behaving in this way.
Author: I think they are. I’d like to have them, I’d like to have them tested to and just see.
Interviewer: Okay. Now you said that your one son has offered to get help for himself.
Author: Yeah, that’s Todd. He’s him and ah, my wife was talking about this morning, his momma.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And ah, he’s wanting to get help today and she’s supposed to be seein’ about doin’ that.
Interviewer: Okay. Now, ah…[unintelligible] maybe did not get clearly before the one that you were saying that seems to have a learning disability.
Author: Joseph.
Interviewer: That got, that was Joseph. Okay. Now, you answered this question with a 'D' better, that you feel like their general well-being is better now, compared to two years ago. Is that, that’s even with the possible depression that you feel that they may be depressed? Even with that, you, you feel that they may be doing better.
Author: Let’s see, I put better.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: That’s for like being depressed and stuff?
Interviewer: No, it’s just all of it. Their general well-being, that could be how they’re doing in school say…[unintelligible].
Author: As far as that.
Interviewer: Well, general well-being can be how they’re doing in school, their safety, mental health wise, just how they are all around. Ah, does that make sense?
Author: Yeah, it make, yeah it makes a lot of sense.
Interviewer: Okay, now, ah, well-being can include all of those things like their safety, academics, mental health—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Things like that. Um, and, and you wanted to keep it—
Author: I don’t know if I ought to circle better or not, though.
Interviewer: Why is that?
Author: I don’t know but have days I have heard them come home complaining about work and stuff like that.
Interviewer: About work?
Author: But they’re, I, I don’t know. I guess that’s, that’s about right. I’m thinking, as far as their homework, they’re doin’ better.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay.
Author: 'Cause Todd’s real smart in school but Joseph, you know, like I said, he got a learning disability. Slow learning classes.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: I mean, every one of his classes is slow learning.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: He ain’t got a one that ain’t.
Interviewer: Okay. So you would say that, um, compared to two years ago, you still feel like their overall well-being is better now than it was two years ago, even with some of the depressive symptoms that you seem to have noticed in the boys. Is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Now a couple of years ago, ah, what was it like with them. Why is it better? Why was it not as good a couple of years ago, do you think?
Author: Well, a couple of years ago, you know, like I was sayin’ earlier, we had our own place and stuff. They know’d they had their own home to come home to.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And they felt better about that I’m sure.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I mean, you know, I can tell, you, I can tell they did.
Interviewer: Okay, so they’re feeling better a couple of years ago and now, they’re still, they’re doing better than they were a couple of years ago. Is that right?
Author: Fairly well. I mean. They ain’t doin’ better than they was a couple of year ago.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: A couple of year ago, they was doin’ alright. But now, they just, they’re just aggravated like I am and everybody else, you know, everybody else in the family.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay but maybe their school performance is better.
Author: As far as school, you know, I guess. Yeah, they’re doin’ alright.
Interviewer: Okay, so school is better now than it was a couple of years ago?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Ah, but, emotionally, I guess, they’re maybe not doin’ as well, is that what you’re saying?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay, so you would might have different answers for different—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —parts of that—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —question. Okay. Emotionally with their emotional well-being, you know, with the depressive symptoms possibly, how would you, what would you answer? As compared to two years ago how are they doing now, emotionally, do you feel? Would it be much worse, worse, unchanged, better or much better?
Author: I’d put unchanged.
Interviewer: Okay, so emotionally, you feel like they’re pretty much the same as they were a couple of years ago?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: So, okay. Let’s move on to the next page. I believe you said that your wife is gonna’ check about having them getting checked—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —today with the possible depressive symptoms.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that right? Okay. Where is she going to do that? What is she doing?
Author: Uh, I think she was going to Cheer Mental Health with it.
Interviewer: Okay. To make an appointment for them?
Author: Yeah.
Compared to two years ago, the general well-being of my children is better and unchanged.
3. BASIC NEEDS
Interviewer: Okay. Now the next question is on basic needs. How well is your household meeting its basic needs, how would you say?
Author: Need like is needing stuff?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Well, as far as that goes, right now, all, all we really need is a home.
Interviewer: Umhum. And you, you, you don’t have that right now.
Author: No, not right now.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: As far as furniture and everything like that goes, we’ve got that, in storage, yeah.
Interviewer: You got furniture in storage?
Author: Yeah. But uh, the worst thing right now is, is trying to find somewhere to be. You know, stay, a home. As far as, we got somewhere to stay but it, you know, it’s just uncomfortable to me. Having to stay with somebody else like that.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: I never was the type. I always was the type that had my own place to stay until—and I don’t know what conjured up our, everything, us losing a home and stuff like that.
Interviewer: You don’t know what.
Author: Just seemed like when everything fell apart it just fell apart. You know.
Interviewer: Okay. You say you don’t know what conjured that up. Do you mean you don’t know why, what led up to it?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Or why it happened?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Author: Ah, I tried, I mean I really did try.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. How well do you feel like the family’s meeting it’s basic needs right now, other than not having housing of your own? And I think we mentioned some of this before like food, clothing, healthcare, things like that.
Author: Basic needs?
Interviewer: Yeah, how, uh well, how would you describe the food and clothing how you, how you all are able to meet those needs right now.
Author: Well, as far as food and clothing go, we got that.
Interviewer: I guess, so you’ve, you would, uh, say that you, you, the family’s meeting that need pretty well?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay, so there’s not any concerns with food and clothing right now?
Author: No.
Interviewer: Okay. And it’s not anything that you’re struggling with. What about medical care? How is, how is that working out, do you get that when it’s needed?
Author: Yeah. You mean like going to doctor and stuff like that?
Interviewer: Yeah. How about for the kids?
Author: They get it.
Interviewer: So they’re—
Author: …[unintelligible] if they need to go, if they come up sick, and, you know, with a sickness or something, they go immediately.
Interviewer: Okay. Like your one son that you—
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: —with his, uh, spine problem?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: What about you and your wife?
Author: Well, as far as me and my wife goes. Me and her fa—both , have been treated for depression. Under Dr. K. [Primary Care Physician] is who we was bein’ treated by. Course I’ve heard some stories about him. I don’t know if you’ve heard about him or not, but. Then I’ve got another doctor, I got a new doctor that’s filled in for him. Don’t wanna’, he acts like he don’t wanna’ give me my medication. He acts like he don’t wanna’ do nothing. Then I explain to him what I was takin’ and stuff, and.
Interviewer: What did you tell him you were taking?
Author: Lorzapam. And Paxil for depression.
Interviewer: What about physically? Do you and your wife get the medical care that you need? Do you feel—ah, as far as seein’ a doctor?
Author: Ah, yeah, as far as that goes. You know, we get that.
Interviewer: Okay. So you feel like yours, your wife’s and your children’s medical needs are being met?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. And um, their educational needs, they get to school—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —when they’re needed? Are the kids are attending the same school?
Author: Well, I’ve got two that’s going to alternative school.
Interviewer: Oh, two of them are in alternative?
Author: Yeah, and I’ve got one goin’ to high school.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Which two are the one, ah—
Author: Todd and Brian.
Interviewer: Okay, they’re the—
Author: The middle one and the least one.
Interviewer: Okay. So the middle and youngest—?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —boys are going to alternative school?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Could you tell me a bit more about that?
Author: Well. They got in a little bit of trouble for bein’—. If your late after the bell rings three times, they, ah, they give you after school detention.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Where you have to stay like a hour after school. Well, they got caught once again after that. If you get caught at least four times they automatically send you to alternative. And that’s what go’ them sent there—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: —for a period of time and I don’t know how long they’ll be there.
Interviewer: How long have they been there?
Author: Been there about two or three months now.
Interviewer: Okay. Did they go—?
Author: They determine on, they got a meet this, they got it set up like where they meet goals and stuff and after they’re there so long they send them back.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: —to the regular school they was going, then see how they do it again, if they don’t do right there they send them back again.
Interviewer: Okay. Now you said that the middle one has been doing okay in school the past couple of years after you had that talk with him and—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —he gets to help the teacher as reward?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —for his behaviors? Now, is he still getting to help the teacher while he’s in alternative school?
Author: Yeah, they’re, they’re doin’ him good. He’s doin’ good since. Told me he’d rather be over there as the regular school.
Interviewer: Oh.
Author: They do him real good.
Interviewer: And the only reason that they are both in alternative school at this time is because they missed more than three?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Or had more than three, um, tardies?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that right, tardies?
Author: Umhum.
Interviewer: And they’ve been in for the past two to three months and—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —they may be meeting with—
Author: They ought to be comin’ up meetin’—they have a meetin’ on them to see how they been doin’ and if they been doin’ alright they give them another chance at the regular school.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then if they mess up again, they go right back again for, I don’t know how long.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Five to six months, something like that till they think they’re straight enough to go back again.
Interviewer: Okay. Are there any other problems with the kids with behaviors or anything like that?
Author: No. Just, just that.
Interviewer: Okay. What are things that you feel that ah, that help you, that help your family to meet the family’s needs?
Author: That’s, ah, what do you mean by that, I mean. That, that confuses me, there, I don’t—
Interviewer: Okay. Well, you, you get the assistance right now from Families First and food stamps and I know that you said that there was not anything else that you could think of at the time. Is, you still can’t think of anything else that maybe you utilize or use as a way to meet your family’s needs?
Author: Not right now I don’t.
Interviewer: Okay. Um. How is it with the family in making ends meet right now? On a monthly basis or weekly basis?
Author: Makin’ it?
Interviewer: Yeah, making the ends meet. How do you do that?
Author: Well, as far as that goes. That, you know, that way as far as that goes, we’re, you know, we’re makin’ it. That’s all I can say, we’re makin’ it.
Interviewer: Okay, making it as in there’s money left over at the end of the month? Or—
Author: Ah …[unintelligible] very little.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Very little.
Interviewer: So, you’re able to pay whatever bills you need to pay?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And buy food and you’re able to make ends meet every month.
Author: Yeah. As far as stamps go, that’s to what, mostly we get to survive.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: The car payments and stuff like that. See we got a car that’s tore up and still havin’ to make payments on.
Interviewer: How much is that?
Author: I think it’s a 100 a 150 or two a month.
Interviewer: Oh, really? A 150 or 100 or, or $200 a month?
Author: It’s about two a month on the car.
Interviewer: And you get how much?
Author: And that one’s tore up and us still havin’ to pay for it. That’s something else that bares on my mind.
Interviewer: And you get how much in assistance?
Author: Ah, 268.
Interviewer: Oh, 268. Okay. So that takes a lot of your—
Author: It takes quite a bit out of it.
Interviewer: Okay, and your having—
Author: And plus we have to pay for our storage. I think that’s either 50 or 60 a month.
Interviewer: Umhum. Okay, so just paying for the car that’s not running right now and the storage for your furniture is taking a lot of your—
Author: Taking quite a bit out of it.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Consider the following question and answer using the letter that best corresponds to your situation. Compared to two years ago, my family’s ability to meet it’s basic needs, kind of like what we’ve been talking about before, would you say that it’s much worse, ah, worse, unchanged, better, or much better?
Author: Right now, how our basic needs is right now?
Interviewer: Compared to two years ago, how is it now? Would you say that it’s, your family’s ability to meet basic needs is better, or much worse, worse?
Author: I’d put worse on that.
Interviewer: Worse? Okay. And that’s because of, ah, not having any employment right now?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And living with your father-in-law and most of the money coming in from Families First having to go towards—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Paying for your car that’s not running and the storage for your furniture.
Author: Umhum.
Interviewer: But you are still able to—
Author: And, things that the kids needs for school and stuff like that, now.
Interviewer: You’re not able to get some of that? Is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Which you are still able to provide food and clothes for—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —the kids. Okay. And you still have a house. I wrote place that you’re living…[unintelligible].
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: You’re not having to pay rent there, so—
Author: Nah.
Interviewer: So that’s helping.
Author: Yeah.
4. HOUSING
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. And the next question is about housing. And, I know we’ve been talking about this already.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: How well is your housing meeting your family’s needs? Um, how well, uh, how, how well does it fit the size of your family? Is there enough room?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. How do you mean? Does ev—, does everybody have their own room or something like that?
Author: Yeah, he’s, uh, father-in-law’s got his, kids got theirs, and then we’ve got one.
Interviewer: Okay. So each of the boys has their own—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —bedroom? And, uh, you and your wife have—.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: A bedroom to yourself?
Author: Umhum.
Interviewer: How many rooms are in this house?
Author: I think there’s three rooms.
Interviewer: About three rooms? Okay, so, do your boys share a room?
Author: Yeah, they got something like bunkbeds in there, so—
Interviewer: Okay. So it’s three of the boys to one bedroom?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay, so there’s about three bedrooms, one for you and your wife, one for your father-in-law, and then one for the boys?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Um, is it in, how, what’s the condition of the house? How would you describe it’s condition?
Author: The cleanness and all?
Interviewer: Yeah, if there are…[unintelligible] any repairs needed or anything like that.
Author: No. It’s, it’s pretty much clean, looks good.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Looks alright.
Interviewer: Does it have, uh, doesn’t need any repairs or anything like that?
Author: No, huhuh.
Interviewer: Okay. What about the neighborhood? What about the safety of the neighborhood?
Author: Oh, it’s quiet.
Interviewer: It’s quiet. Author: Never hear a thing. It’s, people’s peaceful round there.
Interviewer: Okay. So, like, they’re—
Author: I think it’s safe.
Interviewer: Okay. For the, for the boys?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Um, how close is it to school? Is it—
Author: Well.
Interviewer: For the kids.
Author: Oh we have to—there ain’t no buses runs there, so we have to borrow her father-in-law’s truck to take ‘em.
Interviewer: Her—
Author: And that’s from Willowbrook Trailer Park.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Like in [area of town].
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: From there, all the way to town.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s a pretty good distance if you have to drive it every morning.
Interviewer: So, you have to take the boys to school?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: You and your wife do?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Or is it just your wife?
Author: Well, I ride with her a lot, you know, most of the time.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: In case something happens, the car breaks down or something.
Interviewer: Okay. So your wife drives the boys—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —to school and you ride with her?
Author: Yeah
Interviewer: And is that her dad’s car? 'Cause you said her father-in-law.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. So it’s her daddy’s car. So the bus doesn’t run by there and you take them—
Author: No.
Interviewer: About how long does it take to get there if you drive?
Author: A lot of times it takes, maybe 20, 15, 20 minutes I guess.
Interviewer: One way?
Author: Yeah. She drives. My wife’s the type that don’t drive, you know, she drives really slower than what she should.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: But she, you know, she does it. She’s, it’s on the safe side. I’m glad she does really.
Interviewer: Okay. What,uh, you said that you lived with your father-in-law. Are there any other relatives that live near by?
Author: That lives there with him? Huh uh [negative].
Interviewer: Well, not with him but close by in case you needed to, to see some relatives, like ah—
Author: Well, now my wife’s got a uncle that lives on the end trailer.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Arnie is who it is, but—
Interviewer: So he’s within walking distance.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: There any other relatives near here?
Author: No, far as I know it ain’t. That’s the only one there.
Interviewer: None that are close by or anything like that?
Author: No.
Interviewer: I know that you mentioned that your dad had passed away.
Author: Yeah, ah, October the 16th. Yeah.
Interviewer: …[unintelligible]. Do you have any, did he have any other children other than you?
Author: Oh yeah, I’ve got two more brothers and five sisters.
Interviewer: Okay. Are they, are you close to them at all?
Author: Oh yeah, we’re all real close.
Interviewer: Okay. What about, uh, where they live. Do they live around you, or far away?
Author: Ah, in town.
Interviewer: Oh, they live in town?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: You mean, near the school?
Author: Yeah, they live pretty close near the school up there.
Interviewer: Okay. So, it would take you a while to get?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Hold on just a minute, okay.
[Break]
Okay, I think it’s running. Now, we just finished the questions on housing and you just told me about, ah, where you live and there are enough rooms in the house—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —for, for you and the kids and your wife and your—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —and your father-in-law. Ah, you said that the physical condition’s in good condition.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Clean place, doesn’t need repairs.
Author: Huhuh [negative].
Interviewer: And the neighborhood is safe?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Ah. And that you’re pretty close to some relatives.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Ah, your wife has a relative that lives in the same, is it a trailer park?
Author: Trailer park, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. And, you have some relatives—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Some brothers, is that right?
Author: Yeah. Brothers and sisters.
Interviewer: Brothers and sisters and they all live in town?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. So you’re about, I guess, 15 or 20 minutes away—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —from them? Okay. We can, consider the following question and answer using the letter that best corresponds to your situation. Compared to two years ago, my housing is 'A' much worse, 'B' worse, 'C' unchanged, 'D' better, or 'E' much better?
Author: Since two year ago?
Interviewer: Yes.
Author: Well, it’s. I’d put worse myself.
Interviewer: Okay, 'B' worse? Yeah. Okay, and that’s because, I believe you said, of course you don’t have a home of your own—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —right now.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: But where you’re living is, is adequate right now.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Got enough space and it’s clean it’s in safe area.
Author: Umhum
Interviewer: But you don’t have your own home like you did a couple of—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —years ago.
Author: Yeah, that’s right.
Interviewer: And that’s the main reason it’s worse.
Author: Umhum.
Compared to two years ago, my housing is worse.
5. EMOTIONAL WELL-BEI NG
Interviewer: Okay. This next topic, question is regarding emotional well-being. What feelings have you been experiencing the most lately and how does this, how does it influence your parenting, do you think? Well, first just ah, if you can just tell me the feelings that you’re experiencing most lately. And we’ve already talked about some of this in the beginning of this interview.
Author: That I’m experiencing?
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: Nervousness.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Depression. Staying jittery all the time. Just, just down and out. About, just about everything anymore.
Interviewer: And you said earlier that it’s gotten worse since you lost your—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —home. But you had experienced similar feelings for a lot of years.
Author: Yeah. I’ve had it just about most of my life.
Interviewer: Okay. And uh, is it, is this the worst that it’s ever been? Or has it ever been worse? As bad, as bad as it is now?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: It has been this bad before—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —for you? Could you tell me about that?
Author: Well, I got sent to a group home back in ‘80, ‘79 or ’80.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And they was treatin’ me for depression and stuff there
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s back when I was about 16, 17.
Interviewer: Why did you go to the group home?
Author: I got in a little bit of trouble not goin’ to school and stuff. Well, not goin’ to school was the main thing. Stayin’ out and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: When I got down there they tested me, and stuff and said ah, that I had a state of depression. And my nerves was real bad and they was treatin’ me for that.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s when I, one, that’s one reason I got on that check.
Interviewer: Okay, check?
Author: On account of, on account of my nerves and being depressed.
Interviewer: What kind of check was that?
Author: Ah, learning disability.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then when I got out they said I would keep getting it from there on, on account of my nerves and stuff like that. And, ah, I got out and I got it about four or five months after I got out and then it got cut off. And I don’t know why it was cut off.
Interviewer: How long were you there?
Author: I was there about nine, nine and a half, 10 months.
Interviewer: Okay, so you went in to a group home in about 1979 or 1980?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And you were there for about nine or 10 months?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. How old were you when you went in?
Author: I was, I guess I was about 15.
Interviewer: About 15. Okay. And, uh, so it was pretty bad then.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And about as bad as it is for you right now?
Author: Yeah. It’s, it was pretty much bad then. Bein’ away from everybody and stuff like that’s made it that much worse, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Bein’ in a place where you didn’t know nobody or nothing like that.
Interviewer: Did it help any when you were there?
Author: Ah, I couldn’t tell it did.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It was just keeping me away from my family, and stuff.
Interviewer: Has there been anything that you, any other treatment that you’ve had that’s been helpful for you?
Author: No.
Interviewer: How do you, how have you dealt with those feelings since—
Author: It’s been—
Interviewer: —since your time?
Author: It’s been hard. It’s been real hard. I’ve just had to bare down and try to stick, you know, just hang with it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever ha—, you know, the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do. I mean, you know.
Interviewer: Is to, um—?
Author: You feel lonely, you know, all the time, and a lot of time feel like, you know, things of Dad’s around me ain’t real, and—. I don’t know, it’s just it, it, really it sounds stupid but, I don’t, like a nightmare or something. Waiting for you to wake up from it.
Interviewer: And it’s been like that for you since before you went to the group ho, home?
Author: Yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: And since then?
Author: Sure has.
Interviewer: Are there any ways that you have tried to deal with that? Those feelings of depression?
Author: You know, I’ve tried to, you know, do things. Go out and take out trash and stuff like that and try to help around the house. And, I don’t know, a lot of times it just, it gets so bad I just give up and just sit down.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And, you know, you know, I was telling you here a while back. That’s back, uh, here a few year ago when it, it got so bad on me, all I know to do is turn to drinkin’.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And just try to take the pressure off.
Interviewer: Okay
Author: Of course, you know, you know, like I told you I’ve been, I’ve been tryin’ to quit that so, you know. The way I see it only thing going to ah, ah, it might seem like it’s helping you, you. A lot of peoples told me, said, you can think it’s helping you but it’s makin’ it worse all along. I’ve had people to, you know, walk up and tell me that.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And I finally found that out.
Interviewer: How did, how did you find this out?
Author: I just, you know. By drinkin’, and stuff and then, when you go to sobering up or whatever, you got to, it’s right in your face again.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Really, I don’t think that helps a bit. It’s the reason I’m just, I, I’ve give it up.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Give it up. And I’m gonna’ try to get, you know, some kind of medical help, you know, something. wi’, it, you know, that will help me.
Interviewer: Alright, so—
Author: Instead of turning toward something that’s gonna’ make it that much worse.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But. It’s pretty much, you know, it I can go to bed feelin’ that way and then, then, then, a lot of times I dread wakin’ up when I know what I’m facing the next day. The same feeling. Just depressing feeling.
Interviewer: So, in the past you have tried to deal with the feelings of depression and the shakes or—
Author: I’ve tried everything I can think.
Interviewer: And, and you’ve tried, in the past, by, uh, you’ve been using alcohol to—
Author: Relieve the pressure and stuff, and the bad feeling.
Interviewer: Okay. And you found that after you would come down from the alcohol it would still be there?
Author: That much worse. Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. It would be worse?
Author: It’d be worse. 'Cause if felt bad and draggy and—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: —it settin’ in again, and—
Interviewer: How, how long have you been drinking, or, you’re trying to quit now but how long have you, have you been doing that? Been using alcohol as a way to deal with the emotional feelings of depression?
Author: I guess about 10, 15 years.
Interviewer: Ten or 15 years. Okay. Is it—.
Author: I thought it was just time to quit, you know, just time to. 'Cause it ain’t helping a bit.
Interviewer: Could you tell me about how you would go about drinking. Now you said it would be about, from the past 10 to 15 years you, have you been drink, drinking 10 to 15 years straight?
Author: Oh, no.
Interviewer: Or did you take breaks, or—
Author: Just off and on. I’d stay, I’d, I would drink, say, if I started today, I might drink today and go a whole week.
Interviewer: Of drinking?
Author: Of drinking. And then I’d quit and then I’d sober up for about three or four months and then deal with the depression and stuff, you know, on and on and on again. And then, till I got to a certain stage to where I thought, well I’m gonna’ drink one more. You know, just, to make myself feel relaxed.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: But, if I drunk that one more, I’d drink one more, and one more, and one more, and one more and I’s gone again with it, you know.
Interviewer: Oh when you start drinking, if you, if you take one drink you—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —drink a lot.
Author: I’d promise myself I was gonna’ drink one and then I’d drink one and I, I can’t do that. I’m the type that, you know, I can’t do that. If I ever drink one, I’m gonna’ drink another, nother, nother, nother, nother.
Interviewer: Okay. And you decided that that’s really not helping you in dealin’—
Author: No.
Interviewer: —in dealing with your depression and your other, other ah, feelings.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: When is the last time that you’ve experienced something like that or that you’ve done something like that, that.
Author: Drinking?
Interviewer: Yeah, for?
Author: Oh, it’s been about a month and a half now, I guess.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Been a month and a half.
Interviewer: Okay. And then like you said, you’ll go for, maybe a few months not drinking?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And then you’ll finally decide to go ahead and take one drink?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But I’m gonna’ try not to do that no more.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. How do you feel like that’s affected? Do you feel like that’s affected your family? Of course your depression?
Author: Oh yeah, my wife. Well, my wife knows I’ve got, you know, depression and she’s even sa’. I had been eatin’ and go, you know, take a bath and just go to jerkin, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: An, that’s just not her. There’s been quite a few people seen me do it…[unintelligible] see why you don’t get help for it. When I’s seein’ Dr. K., you know, he helped me. I mean, Lor’, you know, he cut me from Xanaxes. I told him, I said don’t want them, they’re too addictive. And, you know, I didn’t like ‘em. And he said, what about, he said I’m gonna’ try you on Lorzapam. Well, he put me on them and it knocks the edge off, you know, helped me relax, and stuff. And I could kindly cope, you know. And, uh. But since Dr. K. has went out, then this new doctor has come in. I, he, he’s the type that don’t like givin’ something, you know, to help you or nothing, so—
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I don’t know.
Interviewer: So, uh. Years ago you were diagnosed with depression. Well, they told you in the group home that you had depression?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And, did you say anxiety?
Author: Anxiety, yeah. I get around a lot of people and I just. I don’t know, just…[unintelligible] out. Just, I have to get away from them. See, like, like, you know. All the noise just hit me all at once.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: Everybody talking all at once. I can’t stand that.
Interviewer: Do you feel like that’s affected your family in some ways?
Author: I’ve, I, I think it has. They’ve noticed it.
Interviewer: Have they—
Author: My wife’s even come to me and I’d be off by myself. And she’d say, well, are you nervous again, or, you feelin’ bad again and I’d just say, well, yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, she can tell when it sets in.
Interviewer: Okay. What other ways do you feel like it’s affected your family? I mean, your family knows when you’re feeling like that. Do you feel like it’s—
Author: Well, I’ve caught them, you know, kindly glancing at me, looking at me with a kindly sad, bad look on their face.
Interviewer: Umhum. Now you said earlier, about, ah, your boys possibly inheriting some of that, you think?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that what you said? You feel like maybe they’ve inherited some?
Author: I think they have.
Interviewer: Maybe not as much, though.
Author: Not as much but—. Time will tell as they get older, I’d say.
Interviewer: Okay. What about the, the use of alcohol. Do, you’ve used alcohol as a way to kind of deal with that at times?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: How, has that affected the family, your family in any way, using the alcohol?
Author: Why yeah, now my wife can’t stand it. She don’t drink at all and she don’t, she don’t approve of it. And that’s one reason I’m trying to give it up now.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: 'Cause she don’t approve of it. I’m sure not gonna’ lose my family over it. I mean.
Interviewer: Okay. So—
Author: It takes dealin’ with the depression, uh, you know, I’ve, you know, I can. It, it’s hard. I mean, it’s the hardest thing I ever done in my life. Is to try to sit and deal with something like that.
Interviewer: Right. You said you don’t want to lose your family over anything like drinking. What do you mean?
Author: Well, she said—
Interviewer: Is there a possibility of losing your family?
Author: Well, she has said, if you keep on, I can’t put up with it, you know, and stuff like that. And this and that. But she ain’t never just straight up and said, well I’m leavin’ if you keep on.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But, I kindly got the hint that that’s what she meant.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And I told her. I said well, I’ll quit. I said, but I’m gonna’ have to have some kind of help. You know. 'Cause, I just. It gets so bad sometimes. I, uh, you know, just wanna’. Seem like I just wanna’ take off runnin’ and never stop.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It’s just, that’s just how bad it gets.
Interviewer: Right. And, and—
Author: I mean, you know. All this I’m telling you is the truth, too. I mean, that, that’s just the way I feel.
Interviewer: And, and you’ve, you’ve said that the drinking, when you come down off of that, it’s, the problems are still there maybe, maybe even worse?
Author: Worse.
Interviewer: And, also, in addition to the drinking, you’re family may, may be affected by that in that your wife has, has told you that she doesn’t approve of that. Or, or you know that she doesn’t approve of that?
Author: No, she don’t.
Interviewer: And she’s never said that she would leave you?
Author: No, she’s, she’s never threatened to leave. She just said that she wished I would quit and—
Interviewer: But, but it sounds like you know that there’s a possibility of losing your family because of that.
Author: Possibility, yeah. A strong possibility if ah, if things don’t look up that I’m gonna’.
Interviewer: If you don’t stop your drinking—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —you’re gonna lose your family?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Are you feeling okay right now?
Author: Ah, about half and half.
Interviewer: Okay. 'Cause I, I hear your, I hear your leg jumpin’. So. And that, that’s fine. You know, it’s, that just lets me know I need to ask how you’re doing.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Uh. So, do you feel that? How do you think that your, your feelings of the depression and the anxiety and the, ah, feelings like, maybe things aren’t real. Think you described, the way you described it earlier. Do you feel like that affects your ability to parent your children in any way?
Author: Ah. No, I. When it comes to them I, you know. It still sets in on me hard. But when it comes to them I. I make sure they’re took care of and stuff, you know.
Interviewer: Okay. When you get to feeling like that, what do you do when the kids are around?
Author: I just. Try to set down and try my best to talk to them and tell them how I feel and try to keep them calm where I’ll stay calm.
Interviewer: Okay. So you let them know what you, what’s going on?
Author: Yeah. I let them know what’s going on. A lot of times I don’t have to tell them. They know what’s going on. You know, 'cause they can look at me and, they can pretty much tell when it’s setting in. And if have had it set in two, three, three, and four days at a time solid. I mean.
Interviewer: You mean the depression and anxiety?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s it, it’s, I’ll have to say it’s the worse feeling I’ve ever had. And I’ve had it for years. It’s, it’s. I mean. I’ve lost weight on account of it. I weight at one time, nearly a 180 something pounds and I. I mean I’ve lost weight on account of it. Worried and stuff.
Interviewer: Worrying. Okay. So. And you’ve, you’ve sought out help for this through Dr. K..
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And he’s the only one that you have gone to for help for this since you were in the group home, is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Now, he’s gone and you’re seeing another doctor?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And you’re wondering if he’s going to, or she, is going to provide that medical—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: The medication, I guess. That you’re—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: But you’ve not sought any counseling?
Author: Huhuh [negative].
Interviewer: Outside of that? Okay. If you could, consider the following question and answer using the letter that best corresponds to your situation. Compared to two years ago my emotional well being is 'A' much worse, 'B' worse, 'C' unchanged, 'D' better, or 'E' much better?
Author: I’d put much worse on that.
Interviewer: Much worse? Okay. I think that’s the only 'much worse' that I can remember that you’ve put on these so far. How was it two years ago? Why is it much worse now than it was two years ago?
Author: Things just ain’t right. Like they used to be.
Interviewer: Okay. So, a couple of years ago?
Author: They was better. I mean, you know. Two years ago, they was better.
Interviewer: Well—
Author: Than they are now.
Interviewer: Your, your, uh, feelings and how you were dealing with, ah, your depression—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And your anxiety and, you were dealing with that much better two years ago?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And why would you say that is?
Author: It seemed like things was goin’ better, then.
Interviewer: What kind of things?
Author: Well, two year ago I had my own place. Had two cars.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And, here I sit now, ain’t got, having to stay with somebody.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And, and car tore up and can’t afford another one right now. Can’t even afford a starter for one. That’s just $35. I can’t even afford that.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And, I don’t know. It’s just one thing after another.
Interviewer: A lot has changed in the past couple of years.
Author: Lot of change. It’s, it’s been a lot changed the last two years.
Compared to two years ago, my emotional well-being is much worse.
6. EMPLOYMENT
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. We’ll go on to the next question. And, we’ll be finished up here pretty soon. Now, this is a question regarding employment. If you could tell us about your current or your last job? Anything you could tell me about that?
Author: That was with Bob.
Interviewer: Bob?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that, ah, what kind of job was that?
Author: Nursery work.
Interviewer: Nursery work? Is that the name of the company or name of the nursery?
Author: Garden Store. Garden Store Nursery.
Interviewer: Okay. Uh. What was the pay like there?
Author: How much was I paid?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Six. Six a hour.
Interviewer: Six dollars an hour?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: About how often. How much during the week were you getting to work?
Author: Ah, it’s just according to about the weather.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: A lot of times we might get a good full week in, sometimes we might get two or three days in.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It’s just according. You know.
Interviewer: Okay. So, um. It was more like seasonal work?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Are there, were there any months that you didn’t work with the nursery?
Author: Well, there’s a few times I got laid off, lack of work, you know.
Interviewer: Okay. Would that be for a long period of time?
Author: Yeah. Quite a long time. I have went a month and a half, two months at a time.
Interviewer: Okay. When you were at the nursery.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: But you were able to make the bills then, is that right?
Author: Yeah. I could. What I didn’t, if I didn’t have enough to make it, he’s pretty good feller to help you out on finishing it out, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And then he would let you pay him back the following week.
Interviewer: Okay. So, your employer would, if you didn’t get to work, he would help you—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —to make the bills.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Because he knew you were going to be coming back to work? Okay. Um, but, ah, there weren’t any other benefits other than that? Or were there? Like, ah, insurance?
Author: Huhuh [negative].
Interviewer: Okay. So it was about $6 an hour?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: And the day, the number of days and number of hours a day were just kind of, they go up and down?
Author: Yeah. Up and down, up and down.
Interviewer: Okay. So you really didn’t necessarily know when you were going to get to work?
Author: That’s right. Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. Now, uh. But you were saying that, ah. Were they enough, though, was there enough work for you at the time?
Author: Well at the time we was working, it was.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay.
Author: But he had about four or five, maybe six working with him and then. At times, we’d get him caught up pretty quick on his work. At times he, you know, he’d have pretty much to do and at times he wouldn’t.
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: And if he doesn’t have that much to do at times he’d lay two or three off. Most of the time I was one of them.
Interviewer: Most of the time you were?
Author: Most of the time I was one of them.
Interviewer: Okay. Why is that?
Author: I don’t know. I guess 'cause the ones he had, he’d had for a while. They’d worked for a while.
Interviewer: Okay. So, ah, when you were working it was, you got enough work?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: But there weren’t. Sometimes you didn’t know if you were going to be getting laid off.
Author: That’s right. That’s right.
Interviewer: When was the busiest time of the year?
Author: The busiest time of the year in nursery work?
Interviewer: Umhum.
Author: Let’s see. June, July, and August I guess.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Let’s see, May, June, July, July, and August.
Interviewer: Okay. So you were usually employed during those months. Is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Off and on, off and on.
Interviewer: Off and on during those months?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: May, June, July, and August?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: What about the rest of the year?
Author: Well, till fall of the year, that’s when diggin’ starts.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, machine diggin’—
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: —where you dig trees and plant ‘em.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: Course that was off and on, too.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: If it rained or snowed and got too wet and sloppy.
Interviewer: Okay. So, on through the year all, you know, for a whole year you would be working regularly at the nursery except for whenever you might get laid off—
Author: That’s right, yeah.
Interviewer: —for a month or so. And, that could happen, how many times a year would that happen?
Author: Oh.
Interviewer: Of getting laid off.
Author: It’s ju—, it’s, that’d be hard to say.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Just. I don’t really know for sure.
Interviewer: Alright. Were there any opportunities to advance in that job? Were there any, that maybe you were given an opportunity to move up or. I don’t know, what the kind of the advancement potential at nursery work is?
Author: No. Nothing like that.
Interviewer: There wasn’t any way to move up like as a supervisory type of position or anything like that?
Author: No.
Interviewer: Okay. Compared to two years ago, the wages and benefits of the job I have now are an, of course you’re not working right now. How would you rate that, 'A' much worse, 'B' worse, 'C' unchanged, 'D' better, or 'E' much better?
Author: I’d put worse on that one.
Interviewer: Okay. Well, I guess we could put down, um, this little symbol right here. It says that the scale does not apply to you since you, ah, don’t don’t have a job right now.
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Uh, but we’ll go ahead and, ah, mention that so it can be on the report.
Author: Okay.
Compared to two years ago, the wages and benefits of the job I have now are: scale does not apply.
7. FAMILY SERVICE COUNSELING
Interviewer: Okay. Now this question right here is for Family Services Counseling clients. Of course that’s what you are. Now, ah, you’ve not been in FSC, in Family Service Counseling very long. I know that you were for maybe a month or so in the past. So, if you want to draw on your experience then, to answer this question, that’s fine. What, if any, has changed for you as a result of in, of you involvement with Family Services Counseling? Has anything changed as a result of your involvement in Family Services Counseling?
Author: Since I’ve been coming here?
Interviewer: Yeah. Uh, to see me. And, there may not be anything right now, there might. It’s, it’s kinda hard to tell I guess.
Author: Well it’s, you know, it’s seemed like it’s helped me to come and talk to you.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: You know, about my problems. Get it off my—
Interviewer: Right.
Author: —mind.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It seems like that’s helped a little bit.
Interviewer: Okay. So it’s helped a little bit to talk about it.
Author: Yeah. You know, when I’m talking to one person, like me an' you, I can get a lot of stuff off my chest. Where if there’s several sittin’ around, it’s hard for me to speak.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: But that, that’s helped some.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: It’s helped quite a bit.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But now if this room was sittin’ here, this table with these chairs was full. It would be hard for me to focus or talk or anything.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: That’s just the way I am.
Interviewer: Right. Has any cha—, anything changed in other ways maybe, the way you run your household as a result of FSC do you think?
Author: It’s about the same.
Interviewer: What about your children’s behavior?
Author: It’s, that’s, that’s that’s good.
Interviewer: Okay. How, how do you think that, ah. Apparent, of course, right now your involvement with FSC doesn’t seem, it’s not changed your housing situation yet. It’s not really had any impact on that. Um, has anything changed about how the, how you feel about how you’re doing personally? As a result?
Author: Everything’s about the same with me.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Well, I think that that will be about it. And it seems like there was something else I was wanting to ask you about. Um. Well, if there’s anything else that I need to ask you I’ll have to get with you later, okay?
Author: Alright
Interviewer: Okay, well, I appreciate your time.
Author: Alright.
[Question Remembered. Does this first part have to be in the paper?]
Interviewer: Okay. I just remember what I was gonna’ try, ah, gonna’ ask you and it was, it was about your employment. You said that you had been working up until about when last year?
Author: Ah, let’s see. It’s been about, I guess. No, it’s been about two year ago, I’d say.
Interviewer: That you’ve worked?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: With Bob.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Or, about a year and a half I guess. Something like that.
Interviewer: Okay you’ve, you’ve not worked for about a year—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: —and a half?
Author: About the last I’ve worked.
Interviewer: Okay. But you ended up losing the house. Which you said you lived in public—
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Uh, housing. You lost that place I guess, what was it June or July of last year?
Author: Think it was in July last year.
Interviewer: Okay. And that was because you weren’t able to pay the rent?
Author: Yeah. I mean, I went everywhere to try to get help. And it just seemed like everywhere I’d go I’d just get shot down, you know. I mean, just.
Interviewer: Let me ask you. You said it’s been about a year and a half since you’ve worked so. You weren’t working for quite some time before you had to move from the house. Is that right?
Author: Well. At the time, when Bob needed me, he would holler for me to come in to help. But when it come right down to it, when I asked him for help, he acted like he couldn’t help me, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: But, Upper Cumberland, I went to Upper Cumberland and they offered to help me come up with close to a 180, $200.
Interviewer: Uh huh.
Author: But still, I liked 700 and something having it all up.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And there just wasn’t no way, financially, we could come up with that much right then and there. I mean.
Interviewer: Okay. So, so the rent was behind for a few months, is that right?
Author: Yeah. We was behind, I think, two months on it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And I even went down there and explained to them about what was going on and stuff, but—
Interviewer: How long were you out of work, about how many months do you think you were out of work before you had to move from the house. Before you and the family had to move?
Author: That’d be hard to guess, there.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I don’t know exactly. It was a while.
Interviewer: It was quite a, a while?
Author: 'Cause I know I had called everywhere about work.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And they was either layin’ off or the weather was bad or something.
Interviewer: So, you’ve not worked in a nursery for about a year and a half.
Author: About a year and a half.
Interviewer: And that’s, why is that? Why would you say?
Author: Well. Everywhere I had called, they’ve even said, they would tell me they’ve got enough or, and, and most of these Hispanics, now I’m not putting them down, don’t get me wrong. But most of these Hispanics that’s moved in here has taken just about every bit of this nursery work.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And everywhere I’ve went to try to get on and that’s all I’ve seen.
Interviewer: Okay. So, you’ve not worked in about a year and a half for that—
Author: That’s right.
Interviewer: —for that nursery. And, but, you’ve been trying to find work—
Author: Umhum.
Interviewer: —in nursery and haven’t been able to find—
Author: Haven’t been able to find nothing. And I’ve called all over Warren County.
Interviewer: And what about the place where you worked before?
Author: Bob?
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Well he’s, he’s hired him a crew now.
Interviewer: Okay. So, he did not hire you back?
Author: Huhuh [negative].
Interviewer: Is, and, what was the reason for that?
Author: I don’t know what the reason was. I knowed I was a good hard work. I, I tried working hard when I worked.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And again, he might have seen what kind of problems I’s havin’ an stuff like that too, 'cause a lot of times—I’ve, I’ve, I’ve, a lot of times I caught myself standing just staring off, you know, and—
Interviewer: Okay. So you think that maybe he saw some of that?
Author: Yeah. I believe he did. 'Cause he has walked up and asked me if I was alright. And, that was just, I was just feelin’ bad. Down and out. I mean, you know.
Interviewer: Are you saying that maybe, that’s affected his not hiring you back, do you think?
Author: I, I, that’s what I was thinking.
Interviewer: Okay. When did you think that?
Author: Well, the day he walked up and asked me if I was alright and stuff. He told me to take a day off. He sa—he said I was peek, he said I looked kindly pink and pale, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: And that’s, I was getting a bad state of feelin’ bad and stuff. I called my wife to come and get me and then she asked me, said, why…[unintelligible] was so pale looking. I told her, I said, I just ain’t feelin’ good again. I said I just, I’m just not feelin’ right.
Interviewer: Right.
Author: When I get like that I can’t do nothing. I just can’t focus. I feel so bad I just don’t, I can’t do nothing, I don’t want to do nothing. Just sit around and think.
Interviewer: Let me, ah, go back with something that we talked about earlier. I know that you said that you sometimes would try to deal with those feelings by, ah, use of alcohol. Do you think that that affected your work in any way?
Author: The alcohol?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Author: It probably did. I’d say quite a bit.
Interviewer: Okay. How do you think that it might have, er—, er—, affected your work?
Author: Well, when I was working, I didn’t drink, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: …[unintelligible] if I had. I had started drinkin’ while I was on the job, I would quit and leave and just go finish out to drinkin’.
Interviewer: And, you’ve done that before?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I have done that before.
Interviewer: So, you would sometimes leave work to drink?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: Just 'cause I felt like I did.
Interviewer: Okay. How often did that happen, do you think?
Author: Maybe once a week, sometimes two.
Interviewer: So, maybe once or twice a week?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: When you were drinking, or?
Author: Or when I’d go to feelin’ depressed and stuff.
Interviewer: Okay. So maybe once or twice a week you would leave work to drink? Would that be like, ah, for the whole time that you were working or just during those times that—
Author: Just about the whole time.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I just got to couldn’t, it’s just hard to focus. I mean, you know. I just get that stage where I don’t. It’s just. I’d like to explain, really, how I feel in my head but it’s just hard to. You know.
Interviewer: I understand.
Author: It, it’s just hard.
Interviewer: Well, you were, you were saying earlier that you would drink. You know, whenever you get to feeling bad, you’d drink for about a week. And you would—
Author: I’d stop.
Interviewer: —and you would stop for a few months.
Author: Four or five months. I have went about three years without drinkin’.
Interviewer: Okay.
Author: I went one time three years without drinkin’ and started back.
Interviewer: Now when you said that you would, ah, do that maybe once or twice a week at work. You weren’t drinking every week, though, right?
Author: No, huhuh.
Interviewer: Okay, but during the weeks that you were drinking at work, or ah, that you were drinking you would leave work maybe once or twice during that week. Is that right?
Author: Yeah.
Interviewer: It’s kind of hard to get a picture of how things are going.
Author: Yeah, it is.
Interviewer: Well, I appreciate that. I just wanted to clear that up, okay? And I just wanted to ask you some more about that.
8. BASIC FACTS
Your community or neighborhood of residence: Rock Island, TN
Gender: Male
Last year of school completed: 9th grade
GED: No
Race: Caucasian
Ethnicity: American
Does your partner, spouse or co-parent live in the household? Yes
Do you currently receive any cash public assistance (TANF)? Yes
Manner in which story was originally given: Tape recorded