A lady named Rhonda

Wow, it sure has been awhile since I did this. Months actually. Part of me has had this in the back of my mind but the other part has just been too busy to take the time. Also the last blog was about Gia and that is still a part of my life I am dealing with. It certainly isn't because I haven't had anything to blog about. The opposite really. I have lots of things going on but is any of it interesting enough for others to read is the real question. Well I have a story today that is of interest. I thought I would use this blog today to catch everyone up on my life, but really what's to know? Here's the 5 second rundown: new job-love it, in school- tolerating it, lots of pet sitting- helpful, boys getting bigger- wonderful, got a new dog- adorable. Now that that's out of the way here's my story and my thoughts on it. This event happened to me today. It has had a very profound effect on me and I've really had to concentrate to stay on task today.

Today was a typical Monday for me. Up early, getting kids ready, getting myself ready, animals fed, let out, etc. etc. After all this is done I leave for my very long day at work. Mondays are my longest and hardest days as it's my deadline day. I have to make sure all my work is done for the Delavan Enterprise and then have to begin and finish my own papers The Lake Geneva Times and Genoa City Report. Every Monday I go to the Delavan Municipal Building/ Police Station for my editor. I pick up any mail for the Enterprise and go over to the P.D. to pick up the police blotter from the past week. The blotter is basically a run down of all the calls that came in and why. Today was busier than usual. I had to park closer to the Municipal part of the building than most Mondays. I typically park by the P.D.  and make that my first stop. I have a routine. I stop in at the P.D., let them know I'm here and they begin to get the blotter ready for me, during that time I walk over (which is just a doorway) to the municipal building to pick up the mail. By the time I do this (sometimes stopping at the restroom) the blotter is ready for me to pick up and I go on my merry way to work.

Today was not that typical day. As I walked up the stairs to the building to go over to the P.D. I saw a woman sitting in the lobby. Her back was to me and I could see three animal carriers around her. I didn't want to stare so I glanced her way and went to the P.D. I had to cross this lady again to get the mail and again to pick up the blotter. Now I could have left the building through the P.D. side but something was telling me to go back to the lobby. I also knew if I didn't I probably would never forgive myself. I then was determined to see if this lady needed help. I don't know why I felt like she did I just did.

I walked over to her cautiously and noticed she indeed had three carriers with cats in each one. Her clothes were dirty, her hands and nails were black, her hair was pulled up and matted and her face was tired and worn. She was eating out a can. I didn't want to stare or make her feel bad but I kneeled down next to her to speak to her. Immediately I noticed a strong odor coming from her and concluded it was a mixture of the cats and perhaps not being able to bath for awhile. I couldn't help but think "What is this woman doing in here? Is she homeless? Has anyone asked her if she needed help?" I was shocked to see several people coming and going and not even glance in her direction. As I walked over I softly said, "Hi Ma'am. Do you need some help?" She quickly shook her head and said she was fine and waiting for the pawn shop to open so she could sell her things and get back home. I again asked her if she needed help and she began to shake and cry. I held out my hand and said "My name is Alex. What's your name?" She told me her name was Rhonda. I sat down next to her and asked her what happened. Why was she inside here with her cats, dirty, eating corn from a can, looking like life had slapped her in the face? She began to tell me her story about how her boyfriend who was violent went to jail in California, in hopes of starting a new life she packed up all she had, her 5 cats (yes 5), emptied her savings and jumped on the road headed for Wisconsin where she was going to stay with a long time friend until she could get back on her feet. Apparently her friend's wife decided the cats had to go or get to the vet immediately to get checked out. This was on a Sunday and not a feasible option. It turned out this was just the wife's way of telling Rhonda she actually was not welcome to stay. Rhonda had spent every dollar she had getting out here. She drove a large truck with all her belongings and it cost her nearly $1000 in gas to get to Wisconsin. She had hopes of a new life and now here she was stranded in a strange place with no money, no place to go, no food and no hope.

The folks at the municipal building let her sit in the lobby with her cats to escape the heat. Apparently she sat there all day on Sunday. I noticed her cats seemed very anxious and were probably very tired of being cooped up. I asked her about the cats and she said they where her babies and she did not want to give them up. At this point I wasn't sure what to do. I had to help her but had no idea how. I certainly don't have $1000 to give her for gas. I gave her my number and took hers. She had gotten a prepaid phone and had minutes on it.  I told her I needed to make some phone calls and would try to do what I could to help her but I couldn't promise anything. I went back to my car determined to find this woman help. Any help. I thought that I could at least get her cats some more food and litter and maybe help her find a place to rest while we figured out how she would get home.

I immediately thought of my friends Sal and Corinne Dimiceli from the Time is Now. I wasn't sure how fast I could get ahold of them but I would try. I called Sal first and his cell phone was not on. I then sent Corinne an email and told her it was urgent she call me as soon as she could. I let Rhonda know I was trying to get her help from a local charity. I asked her to sit tight, stay cool and I promised she would hear from me one way or the other. I did have to get to work!

When I got to work I told my co workers what I had seen and experienced. I could see the concern in their eyes and knew they could see mine. It took every once of strength to not start crying. Mostly because I didn't know if I was going to be able to help this woman get home and also because looking that kind of pain and hurt straight in the eye is very difficult. I started my work and got a call from Corinne about an hour or so since I first sent her the email. I explained what was going on and that I tried to call Sal. She told me that Sal was with a handicapped man helping him and she would get a hold of him asap. We talked about Rhonda and I gave her all the information I had. I then called Rhonda and told her that she would most likely be getting a call from some friends of mine so to keep her phone nearby. After several hours I was getting anxious wondering what was happening. Just like that my phone rang. It was Rhonda. Sal and Corinne had gone into action and were helping Rhonda get home. Sal set her up in a hotel in Lake Geneva where she could also keep her cats. The woman who runs the hotel had it all ready and very cool so Rhonda could get comfortable. She needed to shower, sleep and eat before she could even think about her trekk home. Sal also left her plenty of Walmart gift cards at the front desk, gas cards, and funds to get the things she needed and then get back home. Rhonda was sobbing on the phone telling me what a miracle it was and how she believed her cats saved her life because that was the reason I initially stopped.

I just spoke to her again and she is overwhelmed with the generosity of Sal and the Time is Now. This blog is beginning to sound like a Time is Now column! She kept thanking me and I told her it wasn't necessary and I just hope if I were in a tough spot someone would stop and ask me if I needed help. She plans on heading back home to California where she does have family and friends for the most part tomorrow.

So of course this has been on my mind all day. And yes I was at first concerned for the cats but once I looked at her face I was just as concerned for her. With the latest heat I knew neither she nor her cats would last long without some help. I know how cliche this all will sound but when you see that in person you really reflect on what you have and not so much on what you don't have. I'm not writing this looking for any sort of "good job". I'm writing this because it had such and affect on me and it was time for me to blog again. Everyone is guilty of overindulgence and wanting the greatest and latest. Myself included. But looking at this lady with her cats eating out of a can I wanted to give her anything I had to help her. I know some people will think this was her own fault and maybe that's why no one stopped. Maybe she made a mistake in coming out here but how was she to know? And regardless of how she got here she was here and there was no going back on what was done. I haven't been very sympathetic to people for the most part. I always felt that if they wanted something they should be able to take care of it. However, bad things do happen. Things that aren't planned. And it could happen to anyone at anytime. People really need to stop being so self absorbed.

All I know is while Rhonda felt grateful I came into her life, I feel grateful she came into mine. Sometimes you need a reality check to stop being so damn materialistic. There are many very good people who get dealt a bad hand now and then. I'm definitely guilty of taking my life for granted but I do know that I will think of Rhonda often and use that to make sure I don't take for granted the wonderful life I have. People like Sal and Corinne are not the norm and I am constantly in awe of their work. I did receive a message from Sal that everything was taken care of and I didn't have to worry or take her cats in! I feel better that I put this in writing. Maybe I don't write as much as I now I do a LOT of writing for school and work but today it just felt like a good time. And I will think of my new friend Rhonda often and hope she is back on her feet with those 5 cats of hers.