It’s not fair to put this squarely on trailer park life, it happens everywhere, but I would put the majority of the practice in housing projects or trailer parks. Since this example is here where I am, I thought I would share it. In this environment, Michelle and I each have a skill. I read people, every opportunity would find me in material and classes on body language, speech nuances etc.

I spent 8 years in the mental health field (law-enforcement arm) and taught classes at 3 police academies on the mentally/emotionally disturbed. Michelle is a people person. She can have you telling family secrets, in under 2 hours. She’s amazing. It’s not done intentionally, her personality just seems to relax people.

While we keep to ourselves, we don’t purposely shun anyone. Some of them don’t like us, because we are allegedly Satan Worshipers.  Open the ears and eyes, keep your verbal contributions minimal, and you’ll be surprised at what is under the onion layers. We have met a couple of what we call normal people (2 out of the 20 units?). Some are funny, some are crafty and illegal. Some are pitiful. 

PGM award winner:                           
They live together, both are in their early 20s, have a baby. She doesn’t work. He works “under the table” $500 a week, no taxes taken out. That is so the welfare system won’t cut the food stamps they receive, or his unemployment check. They also get supplemental money and supplies for the baby. The girl and baby are on Medicaid. They often move, living with family, friends, and rentals in parks.

No job, no baby daddy = Benefits.

Here in Alabama, if you have 3 trailers in proximity, we call it a park LOL. They reveal the benefits are the reason they are not married. They just live together, and report she lives alone, and he has abandoned her. No job, no baby daddy = Benefits. No medical bills to speak of, no food bills, but they still waste to the point of not having enough for the month. Parties, and trips to the creek with friends etc. Oh, to supplement their income, they sell some food allowance to others. I can think of about 6 charges off the top of my head, without digging deeper, most of them felonies. These folks are nomad like, never in one place for very long, using someone else’s address (usually a family or friends) as if it was their official address, for the benefits.

Do you report it? Been there done that! I used to try even when I was a cop. The state workers themselves, would tell me there was no money or resources to go after the ones I reported. One suspect lived within 12 miles of the courthouse, and he could be seen standing around out in the county with sheriff deputies chatting, while having outstanding warrants or court orders on him regarding the reports. He was out of my jurisdiction, so I could not execute the warrants. These people come up with all sorts of ways to make money, most of it illegal, the easy money is generally always an illegal method, mostly for beer, or drugs, some just to squeak by.

Friends? Nope. As the line in the hilarious movie “Money Pit” goes, “Let’s not go there again”.
Now, to lighten the mood, a clip from that movie.

Do you have people in your area as devious?
Comments welcome,

For those not familiar with the movie, Walter and his wife are pouring money into an old mansion to fix it (I can relate). Nothing is going right. He has gone to the kitchen to check on the turkey in the oven, and get some warm water for their bath. At one point in the scene he says “Let’s not go there again”. I hope you have time to watch the 3-minute segment, it may brighten your day.