Your lowest point?
Discussion
Late to this thread, but....
OP I feel for you... my life has it's own problems but I've never been in the position where the cupboard's bare
Must be really tough for you, especially as it's been forced upon you.
Keep fighting against the bar, one day you might get a victory, however small, but I can see the need for closure on that chapter in your life. The authorities and the DVLA work at their own pace, so hopefully you'll get there eventually on that front too.
Drop me a PM with your email address in, I'll happily shout you a slap up meal at your local for you and the better half with a few pints. It's not much, but things to look forward to all help when you get to a low point.
OP I feel for you... my life has it's own problems but I've never been in the position where the cupboard's bare
Must be really tough for you, especially as it's been forced upon you.Keep fighting against the bar, one day you might get a victory, however small, but I can see the need for closure on that chapter in your life. The authorities and the DVLA work at their own pace, so hopefully you'll get there eventually on that front too.
Drop me a PM with your email address in, I'll happily shout you a slap up meal at your local for you and the better half with a few pints. It's not much, but things to look forward to all help when you get to a low point.
blindswelledrat said:
You lucky b
d. Where did you get the sleeping bag?
Whats the back story to that then? How did you get back on your feet?
A very long story short, d. Where did you get the sleeping bag?Whats the back story to that then? How did you get back on your feet?
The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
Buff Mchugelarge said:
A very long story short,
The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
Inspirational! Not often I say this but I have nothing but admiration for you in that story. How many similar stories end up badly, I wonder.The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
I'd be intrigued to read the long version if you can ever be bothered to describe your life as a homeless.
blindswelledrat said:
Buff Mchugelarge said:
A very long story short,
The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
Inspirational! Not often I say this but I have nothing but admiration for you in that story. How many similar stories end up badly, I wonder.The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
I'd be intrigued to read the long version if you can ever be bothered to describe your life as a homeless.
To the OP good luck and keep fighting back.
Buff Mchugelarge said:
A very long story short,
The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
Holy crap Buff, what a story. Would love to hear more of your story. Great fight back though and much respect to you and lots of luck in the new business.The dear old CSA took their cut of my (already pitiful) wage and left me with £5 p/week after rent. No matter who I went to and how many phone calls I made they didn't care.
I soon lost my pokey little flat and with bit of my deposit I managed to get back from my corrupt Russian landlady I bought a Proton Gls 1.5 for £50 to sleep in!. It wasn't long before my work life suffered and I lost my job due to lack of sleep/ depression and soon enough I had to sell the car (for £50! win!) and ended up sleeping in a shop door way in Worthing town center.
During all this time the only help I had was, ironically, my little boys mum. I'd babysit for her in exchange for a shower and some grub once or twice a week, without that it would've been much, much more difficult. This went on for a year so, I tried to keep up appearances, I always shaved ( I remember dry shaving with a bic razor after a week once. Wow! that hurt!), I washed in public toilets, I never drank or touched drugs. I kept myself to myself and spent a lot of time in the library reading up on all sorts of stuff to kill time. I applied for jobs and benefits but when you're 'of no fixed address' they don't want to know?!.
I found an ad in the paper seeking mobile valeters and I managed to google the address of the head office in the library and went for a visit. I got chatting to the boss and he offered me a test valet. I got the job and worked there for 3 years, got somewhere to live, cars of all shapes and sizes and had my son every weekend, All it took was one person to say yes.
I've recently moved the the West Midlands to start my own business, It's tough but hey, could be worse!
TwigtheWonderkid said:
johnxjsc1985 said:
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Polio?
Polio can turn an 8 stone weakling into a man of steel...Good to hear that things are slowly coming together for you OP, just remember those sage words from a very wise man,
'Don't let the b
ds grind you down'Norman Stanley Fletcher IIRC?
I kind of look back at "being on the bones of my Arse" as a turning point. Life has some pretty harsh lessons at times doesn't it but if you can get through the real stty stuff it does help you enjoy far more simple pleasures and maybe you learn to take yourself too seriously lets face it we can all be an arse from time to time.
Really impressed with this thread and the way some people have overcome really difficult times good on them.
tty stuff it does help you enjoy far more simple pleasures and maybe you learn to take yourself too seriously lets face it we can all be an arse from time to time.Really impressed with this thread and the way some people have overcome really difficult times good on them.
Hello all, would have been on before but this bloody job is getting in the way 
Actually i'm enjoying it, there is actually quite abit to take in as not only am i looking after the yard etc, but learning how to do p.d.i inspections on the machines, so alot to learn but i like a challenge. I had to clear a load of moss and leaves up on Monday and i even enjoyed that.
RE the other bits. The letter from DVLA said they'd received my application for the car licence but had to contact my neuro consultant for his opinion and this could take 6 weeks. This being the same consultant that told the DVLA on the 27-08-14 that in his opinion i was fit to return to driving.
Surprise, surprise i just had to phone the DVLA today and they said they have now wrote to the consultant and perhaps i should phone him to try and hurry things along
The whole legal issue i am unsure really what to do, i will have a good think on it the rest of the week and weekend. Not getting any money out of it isn't really an issue anymore. You don't miss what you never had but that fall has cost me a lot financially in loss of wages, plus the stresses of everything, the doctors even told me the injury could have killed me, (that was sobering) and to think it all really started from that 1 slip on a pub floor. I am more angry at the slur on me personally and the lack of a proper and truthful investigation from the people representing the pub chain. They have clearly messed up, but as they havn't investigated it thoroughly i think they are unaware of the mistakes they've made, this is the main thing that doesn't sit right with me.
There is a good side to all of this of late though, and that is pistonheads and the very good people on it and i know i have already mentioned it, but the last few days have been a heartwarming eye opener to myself and the mrs.
Whether its reading other peoples stories of their own battles in hard times and how they got through it, or all the posts i've read on this thread with some great advice aswell as all the ones wishing us luck and telling us not to give up, each and every one of them has cheered us up like you wouldn't believe.
On top of all of this, we have had bloody loads of emails, all in a similar vain of best wishes and great advice, it has cheered me up reading them all.
Several of these emails even offered us money! I won't go into detail, as i respect other peoples privacy, but i will say we had several offers of financial help, and not 1 of them wanted anything back in return, myself and my mrs were speechless. On Saturday i had £2 left in the bank and virtually no food in the cupboards, but today we COULD have had enough in the bank for a very, very nice all inclusive holiday somewhere, every one of these offers blew our minds, we thought someone had started a bloody telefon for us.
I am a very proud man and hoped i'd get by till the wages came rolling in but have to admit we have just fell short, so we have taken 1 person up on their offer and i'll leave it at that because of my respect for other peoples privacy.
All i really wanted to do here was show my gratitude to each and everyone of you for all of the things i've just mentioned, if i could i'd buy every single one of you a beer, i bloody would, thankyou all so much
Actually i'm enjoying it, there is actually quite abit to take in as not only am i looking after the yard etc, but learning how to do p.d.i inspections on the machines, so alot to learn but i like a challenge. I had to clear a load of moss and leaves up on Monday and i even enjoyed that.
RE the other bits. The letter from DVLA said they'd received my application for the car licence but had to contact my neuro consultant for his opinion and this could take 6 weeks. This being the same consultant that told the DVLA on the 27-08-14 that in his opinion i was fit to return to driving.
Surprise, surprise i just had to phone the DVLA today and they said they have now wrote to the consultant and perhaps i should phone him to try and hurry things along
The whole legal issue i am unsure really what to do, i will have a good think on it the rest of the week and weekend. Not getting any money out of it isn't really an issue anymore. You don't miss what you never had but that fall has cost me a lot financially in loss of wages, plus the stresses of everything, the doctors even told me the injury could have killed me, (that was sobering) and to think it all really started from that 1 slip on a pub floor. I am more angry at the slur on me personally and the lack of a proper and truthful investigation from the people representing the pub chain. They have clearly messed up, but as they havn't investigated it thoroughly i think they are unaware of the mistakes they've made, this is the main thing that doesn't sit right with me.
There is a good side to all of this of late though, and that is pistonheads and the very good people on it and i know i have already mentioned it, but the last few days have been a heartwarming eye opener to myself and the mrs.
Whether its reading other peoples stories of their own battles in hard times and how they got through it, or all the posts i've read on this thread with some great advice aswell as all the ones wishing us luck and telling us not to give up, each and every one of them has cheered us up like you wouldn't believe.
On top of all of this, we have had bloody loads of emails, all in a similar vain of best wishes and great advice, it has cheered me up reading them all.
Several of these emails even offered us money! I won't go into detail, as i respect other peoples privacy, but i will say we had several offers of financial help, and not 1 of them wanted anything back in return, myself and my mrs were speechless. On Saturday i had £2 left in the bank and virtually no food in the cupboards, but today we COULD have had enough in the bank for a very, very nice all inclusive holiday somewhere, every one of these offers blew our minds, we thought someone had started a bloody telefon for us.
I am a very proud man and hoped i'd get by till the wages came rolling in but have to admit we have just fell short, so we have taken 1 person up on their offer and i'll leave it at that because of my respect for other peoples privacy.
All i really wanted to do here was show my gratitude to each and everyone of you for all of the things i've just mentioned, if i could i'd buy every single one of you a beer, i bloody would, thankyou all so much
B
Well you are entitled to your opinion, but in times like this... boil it down to what really matters... 1. get licence back, 2 look after family... not follow a case which unfortunately... and it is the way of things, is difficult to pursue, can sap all one's energy and get in the way of rebuilding things. This can all come later... A
Well you are entitled to your opinion, but in times like this... boil it down to what really matters... 1. get licence back, 2 look after family... not follow a case which unfortunately... and it is the way of things, is difficult to pursue, can sap all one's energy and get in the way of rebuilding things. This can all come later... A
blindswelledrat said:
I think you are mistaken in thinking that the OP got knighted at some point along this story. Have you confused two stories?
Back to your advice for him to drop it - are you serious? An accident has completely ruined his life and you advise him to forget about it as though he can just switch off and pretend it never happened?
No offense but that is st advice.
Back to your advice for him to drop it - are you serious? An accident has completely ruined his life and you advise him to forget about it as though he can just switch off and pretend it never happened?
No offense but that is s
t advice.My lowest point? 24 years ago I was at the end of a failed backpack trip around the world. I'd sold my house in England, sold everything else, packed in the job, said goodbye to family and friends, and went off to see the world, the dream of a lifetime.
I got as far as Thailand and decided it would be good to settle there, so I bought a small restaurant/bar with most of the money I had left and kicked back to live my life out in tropical luxury.
It lasted maybe six months, business went down the toilet when the Gulf war started, tourists left Thailand, and it all fell apart. I eventually left Thailand with $100 in my pocket, and nothing left to look forward to but going back to England, in winter, no job, no digs, no money, no dream left, 32 years old and destitute.
I took the budget bus down to Singapore, wallowing in self pity like a very wallowy thing, utterly miserable that it had all gone sour so quickly. I'd never been so miserable and depressed in my life!
But I survived, I tried my hand as an stand in actor, failed miserably. I tried to be a barman in Hard Rock Cafe, no cool enough... I applied for local jobs, earning peanuts in a machine shop. I walked round industrial estates in the burning Singapore sun, 2 degrees off the equator, banging on doors, looking for work, anything to save me going back to miserable old England, and through that I found a job in a sailing boat yard, fixing big yachts.
I worked in Singapore for two years, then when that yard closed down I asked around yachty friends I knew and scored work offshore, in oil survey. All these years later I'm still doing it, I'm on a ship in the Gulf of Mexico at the moment.
But I always remember that gutted feeling I had when I left Thailand in 1991, and took the peasant grade bus to Singapore......
I got as far as Thailand and decided it would be good to settle there, so I bought a small restaurant/bar with most of the money I had left and kicked back to live my life out in tropical luxury.
It lasted maybe six months, business went down the toilet when the Gulf war started, tourists left Thailand, and it all fell apart. I eventually left Thailand with $100 in my pocket, and nothing left to look forward to but going back to England, in winter, no job, no digs, no money, no dream left, 32 years old and destitute.
I took the budget bus down to Singapore, wallowing in self pity like a very wallowy thing, utterly miserable that it had all gone sour so quickly. I'd never been so miserable and depressed in my life!
But I survived, I tried my hand as an stand in actor, failed miserably. I tried to be a barman in Hard Rock Cafe, no cool enough... I applied for local jobs, earning peanuts in a machine shop. I walked round industrial estates in the burning Singapore sun, 2 degrees off the equator, banging on doors, looking for work, anything to save me going back to miserable old England, and through that I found a job in a sailing boat yard, fixing big yachts.
I worked in Singapore for two years, then when that yard closed down I asked around yachty friends I knew and scored work offshore, in oil survey. All these years later I'm still doing it, I'm on a ship in the Gulf of Mexico at the moment.
But I always remember that gutted feeling I had when I left Thailand in 1991, and took the peasant grade bus to Singapore......
chilistrucker said:
On top of all of this, we have had bloody loads of emails, all in a similar vain of best wishes and great advice, it has cheered me up reading them all.
Several of these emails even offered us money! I won't go into detail, as i respect other peoples privacy, but i will say we had several offers of financial help, and not 1 of them wanted anything back in return, myself and my mrs were speechless. On Saturday i had £2 left in the bank and virtually no food in the cupboards, but today we COULD have had enough in the bank for a very, very nice all inclusive holiday somewhere, every one of these offers blew our minds, we thought someone had started a bloody telefon for us.
I am a very proud man and hoped i'd get by till the wages came rolling in but have to admit we have just fell short, so we have taken 1 person up on their offer and i'll leave it at that because of my respect for other peoples privacy.
All i really wanted to do here was show my gratitude to each and everyone of you for all of the things i've just mentioned, if i could i'd buy every single one of you a beer, i bloody would, thankyou all so much
Several of these emails even offered us money! I won't go into detail, as i respect other peoples privacy, but i will say we had several offers of financial help, and not 1 of them wanted anything back in return, myself and my mrs were speechless. On Saturday i had £2 left in the bank and virtually no food in the cupboards, but today we COULD have had enough in the bank for a very, very nice all inclusive holiday somewhere, every one of these offers blew our minds, we thought someone had started a bloody telefon for us.
I am a very proud man and hoped i'd get by till the wages came rolling in but have to admit we have just fell short, so we have taken 1 person up on their offer and i'll leave it at that because of my respect for other peoples privacy.
All i really wanted to do here was show my gratitude to each and everyone of you for all of the things i've just mentioned, if i could i'd buy every single one of you a beer, i bloody would, thankyou all so much
Delighted for you. Im glad there is at least some light at the end of the tunnelChilis it's great to see things are on the up, it's easy to see that from the tone of your posts.
I can't really contribute much to this thread but it's one of the few I come back to every morning with excitement to see if you have replied and how things are coming along.
I can't offer much but as i'm fairly local if you ever need a hand paying for some groceries or a heating bill paid the offer is there.
Keep us updated - I'm eagerly following this.
I can't really contribute much to this thread but it's one of the few I come back to every morning with excitement to see if you have replied and how things are coming along.
I can't offer much but as i'm fairly local if you ever need a hand paying for some groceries or a heating bill paid the offer is there.
Keep us updated - I'm eagerly following this.
Jonjo91 said:
Chilis it's great to see things are on the up, it's easy to see that from the tone of your posts.
I can't really contribute much to this thread but it's one of the few I come back to every morning with excitement to see if you have replied and how things are coming along.
I can't offer much but as i'm fairly local if you ever need a hand paying for some groceries or a heating bill paid the offer is there.
Keep us updated - I'm eagerly following this.
Thanks for the offer, really appreciated it I can't really contribute much to this thread but it's one of the few I come back to every morning with excitement to see if you have replied and how things are coming along.
I can't offer much but as i'm fairly local if you ever need a hand paying for some groceries or a heating bill paid the offer is there.
Keep us updated - I'm eagerly following this.
I'm going to nick Hora's potatoes and pasta and see if I can start a secret moonshine factory
Been busy today, washing the machines off and checking a couple over for tomorrow, then had to get on my hands and knees to scrape the goo and mud out of the drains, well it was me or the school kid on work experience, and the poor little sod didn't fancy it.
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