A Room of One's Own
A Room of One's Own
07/20/2010
Virginia Woolfe wrote
that in order to write a woman needs a room of her
own, a sanctuary where she can think, imagine and
write down her thoughts without interruption. That's
all I've been asking for... a clean, empty room with
a bathroom (sink, shower, toilet) in which I can
install a cot, a chair, a desk, a bar fridge, a
microwave, some boxes of food, files, etc. The rest
of my stuff can stay in storage.
But nobody in Erie or Millcreek wants to rent a room to me. I don't know why. I've placed and answered ads on Craigslist, checked the Erie paper and looked at some apartments that were dumps. Most were not "ready" to be occupied. Why advertise that you have a place for rent when it's being used for storage or under renovation? I do home staging so I'm expecting to see a nice place that looks liveable. One guy said he was going to rent a townhouse and I could rent a room from him, but before he met me he got belligerent when I asked him to tell me a bit about himself. A simple question that didn't deserve a nasty response. When I've replied to Room-for-Rent ads, I get no response even though I list all the benefits of having me as a tenant. I don't get it.
I went to the Erie Housing Authority because I was told that homeless people get pushed to the top of the waiting list. Not true. I filled out an application that was a dozen pages long, and when I said I get a little pension from Canada, the clerk asked me what the name of the pension was. I said Canada Pension. She asked me to spell it. I said C-A-N-A-D-A, like the country. She asked me the name of the Plan. I said: Canada Pension Plan. She asked, "What's the name of the company?" I answered, "I't's not a company, it's a country. Canada. When we were finished she said, we will let you know in 6-8 weeks if you're eligible. Eligible? You haven't even told me what you do here and how you can help me! Then she said, get back to me with the name of the pension you receive. OY. That was a huge waste of time. If she can't grasp that the Government of Canada provides "old age" pension, I don't have a chance in hell of being eligible for subsidized housing.
Over the years I've offered bedrooms to strangers free of charge. I even offered a neighbor couple two free bedrooms for a year (with their dog, cat and reptile). But doesn't anyone offer me a room that I'm willing to pay for? No. Very disappointing. I've come to the conclusion that Erie just doesn't want me here. OK Erie, I get the message. Loud and clear.
Because of the rain I have to walk through mud to get anything out of my van or get into it. I have no privacy when changing clothes, using the toilet, eating, or putting on makeup. There is always someone close by. Voices carry from the time I wake up to the time I crawl into my cot. Cigarette smoke is wafting into my site. Everything I own is damp: clothes, towel, cat, papers, shoes. And the dampness aggravates my arthritis so I hurt all over, all the time.
A room of one's own... I wish.
Comments or questions? Use the feedback form on this site.
But nobody in Erie or Millcreek wants to rent a room to me. I don't know why. I've placed and answered ads on Craigslist, checked the Erie paper and looked at some apartments that were dumps. Most were not "ready" to be occupied. Why advertise that you have a place for rent when it's being used for storage or under renovation? I do home staging so I'm expecting to see a nice place that looks liveable. One guy said he was going to rent a townhouse and I could rent a room from him, but before he met me he got belligerent when I asked him to tell me a bit about himself. A simple question that didn't deserve a nasty response. When I've replied to Room-for-Rent ads, I get no response even though I list all the benefits of having me as a tenant. I don't get it.
I went to the Erie Housing Authority because I was told that homeless people get pushed to the top of the waiting list. Not true. I filled out an application that was a dozen pages long, and when I said I get a little pension from Canada, the clerk asked me what the name of the pension was. I said Canada Pension. She asked me to spell it. I said C-A-N-A-D-A, like the country. She asked me the name of the Plan. I said: Canada Pension Plan. She asked, "What's the name of the company?" I answered, "I't's not a company, it's a country. Canada. When we were finished she said, we will let you know in 6-8 weeks if you're eligible. Eligible? You haven't even told me what you do here and how you can help me! Then she said, get back to me with the name of the pension you receive. OY. That was a huge waste of time. If she can't grasp that the Government of Canada provides "old age" pension, I don't have a chance in hell of being eligible for subsidized housing.
Over the years I've offered bedrooms to strangers free of charge. I even offered a neighbor couple two free bedrooms for a year (with their dog, cat and reptile). But doesn't anyone offer me a room that I'm willing to pay for? No. Very disappointing. I've come to the conclusion that Erie just doesn't want me here. OK Erie, I get the message. Loud and clear.
Because of the rain I have to walk through mud to get anything out of my van or get into it. I have no privacy when changing clothes, using the toilet, eating, or putting on makeup. There is always someone close by. Voices carry from the time I wake up to the time I crawl into my cot. Cigarette smoke is wafting into my site. Everything I own is damp: clothes, towel, cat, papers, shoes. And the dampness aggravates my arthritis so I hurt all over, all the time.
A room of one's own... I wish.
Comments or questions? Use the feedback form on this site.