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 13th 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!
