Levels of Desperation?

[Karen] My previous post on the Nebraska safe haven legislation had me thinking. Sometimes a person gets into a situation that can leave them with a feeling of desperation when they try to do everything right and it just does not work the way it is supposed to work.

You know what I mean.

Have you even gone to motor vehicle when you had a problem or tried to get help from city hall? Can you imagine the desperation when you need help and have no where to turn?

I have a neighbor who is new on the block. Actually, she is in the process of renovating a house on my block to move in as she also attempts to sell the house where she presently lives. Her problems began when a neighboring house that overlooks her back yard began having rock slides into her back yard. Pardon my error, I should say small boulders. She attempted to go to the other owner who did nothing to stop the damage. Her next trip was to city hall, who went to the owner to address the problem with threats and warnings. The neighbors response, "I don't have the money, take your best shot". I don't think the city is going to take another shot.

I have another neighbor, Sam, who lives next to a house. I should really say garbage dump but I guess you get the gist. My neighbor has been to the city. The city has fined the owner for the truck in the street overflowing with garbage and construction supplies. The owner has been fined for illegally paving his front yard and the list goes on and on. The city has threatened to tow the car and pile on the fines. Six months later and the over flowing truck is still sitting right in front of their two houses.

I understand that this is not the equivalent to dropping off children but feelings by anyone in despair are feelings of desperation just the same. Where do you turn?

Of course, returning to Nebraska, I am reminded that this is America and so the pendulum swings in the other direction. There was one father who dropped off his 9 children. The mans wife of 17 years had died about a year ago. The reason for the drop off, the kids are just too much work.

Like I said, there seem to be levels of desperation