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Hello, my name is Cathy Valentine. I know you must get letters like this all the time. Please, this letter is not long at all, please read the whole thing. Wont take longer than a cup of coffee.
I never do this, but here goes. Your almost typical story. After about two years of looking for a job, I found one, one that I loved. I was not making much, but I saw myself being there for a long time.
I live in Colorado and worked at a casino in Blackhawk Colorado. It takes about an hour to get there by car. I decided to take the casino bus up everyday so that I may share my car with my room mate. I would get up at 5am every morning to take my room mate to the bus park and ride. From there she would go to work. I would them come home and try and get some sleep. I had to be up by 11am in order to leave the house by 1pm. I would drive to the bus stop park and ride where I dropped my room mate off , where I left my car for my room mate to get home. I would catch the bus to the casino park and ride. From there take yet another bus to Blackhawk. I was always at work 2 hours early, that’s just the way the bus schedule worked out. I did not mind, I truly loved my job and enjoyed being there. I would get there at 4pm and started at 6pm. My room mate would take the bus to the park and ride where the car was parked. She would come home and have to get back up at 3am in order to pick me up at the casino bus stop at 330am. The regular bus had stopped running at this time of the morning. We would get home at 4am. Sleep for an hour and do it all over again. It did take its toll, but we were finally, after 2 years, getting caught up on things.
I was at my job for 6 weeks and on my way to work one day and the front end of my car fell to the ground as I was driving down my street. I was just thankful it did not happen on the highway, I may not be writing this story now. I missed work that day, my room mate had to take a cab home from the bus stop, which $20 one way was a lot for us at the time. We priced how much it would have been to fix. Way too much for us to do and still try and keep up on what bills we have. I missed the next two days of work, trying to figure out what to do. I would have been able to walk the mile and a half to the nearest bus stop to get to work, but when I get off in the early morning, there are not buses to get me back home.
On the fourth day of no car, we attempted to drive a 1073 25 foot camper to and from the bus stops. I showed up to work and was layed off due to my attendance. I was very upset and pleaded for my job with no avail.
I called my room mate at let her know what time to pick me up in the camper. It was October and very cold already. I got off the bus and she and the camper were there. She had shut if off to save of the mega gas it took to run it. When she went to start it, it would not start. After trying to start it for 3 hours in the cold, we called a friend for a ride home.
Now we are without transportation and me with no job. My room mate continues to walk a mile and a half to and from the bus stop to get to work everyday. Her hours allow her to catch the bus. She leaves the house when its dark and in single digits and comes home the same way.
Needless to say, we are once again getting behind on everything. I had to come to the realization that there was not Christmas this year. I have four girls and 5 grandkids that I cant even buy 1 gift for. I have not even put up a tree yet, so very depressing. I cry everyday, most of the day. I told my family that I was not going to be in town for Christmas to save some embarrassment, for a while anyway.
I am literally begging for a little Christmas help. I cant bare to go ahead and have my kids over with no presents under the tree. Anything will help. I can provide proof of my car and being layed off if needed.
I know my story is probably not the saddest one you have heard, but it is very sad for me. I almost cant function. I find it hard to watch tv and see all the Christmas commercial. I don’t like to go to the store and see people shopping for their families.
Please, please, if there is anything you can do, I would be forever thankful! I would love to let my kids know that Christmas is now back on.


Thank you for taking the time to at least read my story.


Cathy

Nsbty@aol.com