Monday 15 December 2014

No Place to Belong

I am a constant guest, a perpetual trespasser. No matter where I go, I have no right to be there. In essence I have no place to belong. Don’t get me wrong, I belong in my trailer, and I do feel at home there. It is just there is no little corner of the world that is my own, no place where I feel welcome.I also know that I chose this lifestyle, I was not forced into it. This sensation just comes with the territory.

The closet I feel to being at home is when I am camping, as I have electricity (and usually) running water and sewer. As well, nobody can make me move along, as I have rented it, it is mine for as long as I have paid for it.

Saturday and Sunday were good writing days and I have now lengthened the last of the short chapters. There is still the matter of that one chapter I want to shoehorn in there somewhere. I can either put it in two places, but I feel it needs a bit extra at the end. I am now pondering what that chapter should be so, as I say, that idea is percolating, it will be ready soon.

Last night I plugged in and waited until just after 8 pm to do so. I was plugged in and all tucked into bed about half an hour later when I heard a vehicle pull up. Now, living in an RV and always being parked either on the street or in parking lots this is not a new experience for me. I have had my share of people drive by fast and slow. I have gotten good at gauging where a car is and how far away they are while lying in bed.

Last night not long after I got tucked into bed a car pulled up beside me. They pulled up slowly and parked parallel to my trailer door about ten feet away. They sat there for what felt like a minute, I even had time to get out of bed, put my glasses on and lift the nearest shades a bit.

I recognized the car from earlier that evening, it was parked a few doors down. Before I move to park behind work I do a walk by to ensure that the area is quiet and no cars are back there. The last thing I want to do is interfere with anyone doing legitimate work.

I looked out because I was curious and wanted a warning of someone was going to knock on my door. They didn’t get out of their car; they just took a picture and drove off . . . slowly.  Naturally this unnerved me. Imagine if someone pulled up in front of your house late at night, took a picture and drove off. I sat there for a minute as I decided what to do.

I decided I would get no sleep there so I moved to one of my other safe spots just down the road. As I did I was irked as I had done nothing wrong. I have permission to be there, I was not behind anyone’s bay but my work.

The trouble is that with the break-in last week, people around this place have been a bit on edge. I know that, and perhaps they felt that I was a burglar about to break in. What I do know is that this means that I can’t plug in for the foreseeable future. I don’t need the hassle. It is a good thing that I bought Jenny as I will now rely on her for my power to charge my batteries.

I know what you’re thinking, I should just find a place to rent or a place to park and plugin. I have looked and there are one or two places are available but they are the same as renting a room, about $500.00 a month for a parking space (in the alley) and access to an outlet. If I do that I will miss my August target for paying the cards off and that is not happening.

I don’t regret doing this Urban Nomad lifestyle as in the warmer weather it is nice. I know that I am in a much better place financially then I was a year ago. I keep focussed on getting my debts under control and my savings building up. Then I can move towards buying a corner of the world that is my own. Till then I will park where I like, and try not to disturb anyone.

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