Yup, I Live in One of THOSE places:

Yup, I Live in One of THOSE places:

(AND I LIKE IT!)

We’ve all heard, seen, and noticed THOSE places we thought we would NEVER Live.

The Weekly Motel. The “Flexible-stay” living places. No, I am not referring to the ones that are for the business traveler, or even the family-style. I am talking about the ones in Vegas that are “Cheap”, trashy, and full of people that for one reason or another need someplace to stay that cannot or will not live in a “Regular Apartment”.

We’ve all had our own impression, stereotypes, and beliefs about what sort of people live in these. We tend to believe it is the ones who are on drugs, the tweekers, alcoholics, felons, poor, thugs, trashy, hopeless, mentally-disturbed, unstable, etc etc. It is easy to judge these “places” from a quick glance, a drive-by, or just what we have pre-determined to choose to believe as what or who lives in these places.

These weekly places do not check any background, do not require a lease of any sort, no deposit, or even proof of income, driver license, insurance, or any of the things that would seem to determine “responsible” citizens. They also do not require a credit card, bank account, or any other sort of “financial responsibility”. So, you might ask what it takes to be able to call one of these “Home”? Cash. Simple as that. Pay for your week, give them some basic information (which is never verified), agree to the “rules” of the place (which are minimal) and they give you a key to your new home for the next week.  They even include ALL Utilities. As long as you do not break the rules (too badly anyhow) you get to stay the entire week. What happens at the end of your paid week? You either leave by noon, or pay another week. There is no option for waiting past noon. If you do not pay, you will be removed and cited for trespassing.

They actually give you two keys. One for the locked gate to access the buildings, pool, laundry room, and walkways. One for your new home. Yup, a gated-community. Special, huh? Yeah, not really. As you well-know, a gate or fence is not really to keep anyone out that really wants to get in. It is merely a “suggestion” to keep those out who do not have a key. But with any community, it will have what exists outside the gate and fence also inside the fences. So you plan wisely, and choose a neighborhood that will not be a problem to live in… Umm, Plan?? Sorry, but when choosing to live in a weekly, a “Plan” is not usually what motivates someone to call one of these home.

I think there are many words that would better describe deciding to live in a weekly than “plan”: Chance, circumstance, necessity, survival, desperation, or even faith. Those are all words that describe the reasons many live in a weekly. Plan is usually not one of the reasons. Everyone has a different story. Everyone has different circumstances. But two things every person living in a weekly have in common are: They need a place to call “home”, and they all must pay the same price. No matter who they are, or how they landed there. By the way, they are not cheap. They have various prices, depending on where they are located, how much in-demand they are, and what “extras” are offered. The one I am in is $160 a week. Considering I think $500 for a month is high, imagine how that messes with my mind to pay so much for just a week!

I Never NEVER imagined I would EVER live in one. Ever. I had all those visions in my own mind about what, and who exists inside one of these. Was I wrong about what lives in these? Nope. But I was narrow-minded about what I imagined lived here. Sure a weekly has all that. But you know what else they have? Working people, laborers, job-seekers, business people, families, decent humans, caring, loving, and just plain ole nice people. So what is it about a weekly that makes even those who do not fit the “usual” come live here?  Well, Life. (Or as I learned, Vegas has some screwy Lease-laws, and those laws prevent even people like myself with a perfect rental history, no evictions, no landlord debt, and nothing negative in any of my rental history from getting a new apartment. I will write more about the screwy and twisted ways Vegas manages to both have thousands of vacant apartments, but also have more Weekly rentals than any other city later…)

My reason? Simple: I needed a safe place to live. Yup you read that right. A weekly filled with all I mentioned above is safer than where I was living. I finally had enough of being treated like crap, and living in an unsafe, filthy, unhealthy environment. I would rather risk being homeless, or have to live in “One of those places”, rather than risk going to jail and losing my job. I HAD to get out. So I packed all my worldly possessions in a Uhaul pickem –up-truck, left where I was, and was officially homeless. I gave it all up to God, and trusted in Faith that He would provide my next home. Ya know what? At that exact moment, I felt more peace and calm than I had in the past 8 months. I KNEW I would end up exactly where I needed before I ran out of rental time on the truck.

I had been looking  for a new place to call home, but while mired in the mess I was “stuck in”, I could not focus with a positive outlook on where I needed to call home again. Long story short, and by pure Divine design, I landed Downtown Las Vegas … to be exact, at 13^th and E Fremont. Some would dare to say this is one of the scariest, most dangerous neighborhoods in Vegas. They are welcome to their opinion. I know differently.

Of Course this neighborhood has all that one would expect, but dangerous? Nope. It actually is VERY peaceful, safe, and comfortable. People tend to treat others the way they are treated. I treat people with kindness, respect, smile and say hi. They do the same to me. I do not meddle in their business, nor do I care what they do, as long as they are not harming others, they can do as they please.

I absolutely feel comfortable, safe, and “at home” here. In the short time I have been here, I have managed to focus, prioritize, and find some balance. By the end of the first week, I managed to find What I think will be the next place I will call home, feel relaxed, and even find time to go lay by the pool while I did my laundry.

Now, keep in mind, I NEVER imagined I would swim in a place like this, let alone sunbathe. That is how safe this place really is for me. Why would I have previously NEVER swam here, let alone sunbathe, too? Well, the pool is right next to the street, with no privacy. Also the buildings wrap around two sides of the pool, with every door and window facing the pool. The Only entrance gate to motel is right next to the pool. In short, if you use the pool, you totally are on display. You feel like you are watched by every resident, every passing vehicle, and everyone walking past on the sidewalk, too. The pool is tiny, so even if you swim alone, it feels crowded, add another swimmer, and it would feel like you are squeezed into a bathtub with someone (and NOT in a the cuddle/ snuggle/ fun awkward sort of way ... But in the must share a bath with someone you’ve never met kind of way.)

There are so many things about me that I really never care if people see, watch, or am visible about. But oddly enough, when I lay in the sun, or swim, I would rather not feel like I am “on display”. Yes, I totally know it is silly, and totally know why I feel this way. (Maybe one day I will write those reasons in a blog…) It is just one of those areas I am fully aware of how it makes me feel, and while I have come a long way in what does not bother me, the sunbathing in public view has always been a hurdle for me.  There have been all too many times in my life I just decided to skip swimming, or soaking up my much needed and loved sunshine, because I am not in a totally safe, comfortable environment. I know it is my own biggest struggle. And for the most part, A silly one, too. But it is still real, and it does create a problem that only I can overcome.

So, Ya wonder: Did I Sunbathe? Did I Swim? Did I Skinnydip? Well, that is an entire separate blog. (It is almost finished, and I will publish it soon…)

I totally NEVER expected I would live in a Weekly, totally never thought I could or would entertain the thought of swimming, sunbathing, or skinnydipping in a place like this. Interesting how I allowed myself to become imprisoned for the past 8 months, and only once I finally decided to save my own life, did I discover how much I needed to be in this exact place.

Yup. I LIVE in ONE OF THOSE PLACES. I Like it. Good thing! Because as I was writing this I learned how crooked Vegas is, and how they keep people from leaving bad situations. Too bad for them, that I am tougher, and WILL REFUSE to remain in an unhealthy situation. But I also have learned how come so many in Vegas will stay in a Very bad Situation. They would rather suffer, risk their own safety, and be miserable, than Risk being homeless, or having to pay exorbitant rent amounts because their health and safety is not a priority. Sorry, but My Health and Safety are more important than being able to afford to eat at restaurants. I will pay high rent, and eat cheap for the next few months, thank you very much!