Bio - 40 in My Bio

The following morning, Saturday, Tom checked the ad for the Auburn trailer and found they’d left a number to call either Maryann or Jesse. He called Maryann first and left a message. She called back shortly, and we arranged to drive out to meet her at the trailer the next day.

The online pictures weren’t that great or detailed, though Tom noted that Maryann did confirm the trailer was secluded. This made me all the more surprised when she mentioned that “the neighbor” had complained about the last tenants. We soon learned that this “neighbor” was actually the owner of the 8-acre parcel, who lived on the property. Maryann and Jesse were initially hesitant to tell us that Jesse, Maryann’s brother, lived there for fear we might be intrusive. But once we met, they sensed we’d be good tenants and let us in on “the neighbor’s” true identity.

Only Maryann greeted us on that first visit, but when we moved in a week later, we met Jesse, too. I sensed the same trust and comfort in them as they did in us, though I occasionally wondered what else they might be hiding—like the fact that they weren’t legally set up to rent the place, which was why all utilities, including phone and internet, had to be in Jesse’s name.

As we drove through the town of Auburn, I was struck by how quaint and lively it was for a small town, with more stores and restaurants than we’d seen back in K-Falls. It took some searching to find the hidden road off one of the busier streets, but eventually, we followed a narrow dirt road that wound through the woods until we reached a fork. The right path wound upwards, while the left descended. A pickup truck, with Maryann waiting for us inside, led us down to the left.

Once the driveway leveled out, we entered a small clearing. My jaw dropped.

“Omigod,” I breathed as I took in my surroundings.

Though I hadn’t expected to find all I’d ever prayed for, any lingering doubts about the power of prayer faded away, though I would later reflect on those times and consider it might have been a coincidence. As I delve further into my life, I’ll explain why.

Stepping out of the car, still in shock, I took in a sweeping view around me. The trailer looked as run-down as the land was serene and gorgeous. Its peeling paint was in sharp contrast to the natural beauty around it, but I didn’t mind. If the surroundings were as peaceful as they seemed, then I didn’t care how old, small, or ugly the trailer was. I knew that if we were accepted, and there were no problems with the owner, we’d never leave unless we won enough money to buy a place of our own. Until then, I’d had no idea such seclusion could be found so close to civilization! I thought you had to drive an hour into the wilderness to escape people and car stereos.

Around us, we could see nothing but trees and mountains. The few houses visible were in the distance, and Jesse’s place was a couple of hundred feet up a hill in front of the trailer.

The inside of the trailer was nicer than the outside. It was 50 feet long and 10 feet wide, most of it remodeled.

When Maryann brought up the dreaded question of credit, I worried we’d lost our chance, but Tom simply explained the situation: someone had stolen his identity, and he was currently disputing it. Maryann smiled sympathetically instead of turning us away, saying she’d gone through something similar, which took her a year to resolve.

Maryann, 55, has a house in nearby Newcastle and works at Safeway. Though she said she’d be managing the trailer, Jesse has done much of the upkeep so far.

Maryann told us that the previous tenants only lasted a month. The woman had let her boyfriend move in, who then attempted to steal Jesse’s motorcycle. The police were called, and they were told to leave and never return.

“Just take our deposit, Maryann,” I thought to myself, hopeful. “We’re your dream renters. Really, we’re the ones you want.”

When she did take the deposit, it was all I could do to keep from squealing, though I knew it wasn’t official until she spoke with Jesse, and they could still change their minds.

That night, just as I was drifting to sleep, I had a vision. The woods appeared around me, and a giant, radiant bouquet of flowers bursting with colors shimmered in sunlight filtering through the trees, brilliant and dazzling.

My heart sped up, and my eyes opened slightly.

I knew we’d be moving in soon.

The next day, Maryann called to tell Tom that while they worried we wouldn’t last long since we didn’t make much money, they’d decided to give us a chance. Rent would be $825, and all we’d need to pay beyond that, aside from food and gas, was for propane and internet. There was no working landline for DSL at the moment, so Jesse generously covered the initial setup costs. He and Tom dug a trench through the trees from Jesse’s pole down the hill to the trailer. Although I was a bit annoyed by the delays due to their reluctance to explain why things had to stay in Jesse’s name, we managed to check our email by cell phone.

The week after first seeing the trailer, we finally checked out for good. Just in time to avoid a third “annual” fire inspection in the eight months we’d been there!

I waited at the door for Tom to appear with the dolly. Seeing him arrive was a joyful sight, something I once thought I’d never live to see. It was emotional for both of us.

We said goodbye to Michelle, and one of the Thai housekeepers came to see us off as we loaded the car. Rosalinda, another housekeeper, waved to us from the second floor.

On April 12, 2008, we happily escaped to the Sierra Nevada foothills, where both Jesse and Maryann awaited us. I was a bit surprised that they waited until move-in day to clean the stove and check the cooler and heater, but at least they took care of it. Soon after, Jesse, who was divorced, left to take his 10-year-old son somewhere. The kid didn’t live with him full-time.

Over the next few weeks, we emptied our storage unit, reducing our monthly expenses by about $400.

Once partly settled, we bought some necessities and a few things we wanted. We redeemed items from the pawnshop and bought a futon, a small dinette, a microwave, a water dispenser, a portable washer, an iPod, some dolls, a camera, a vacuum, and two desks. Mine was small enough to fit in the bedroom. When I won $3,000 in Apple gift cards, we bought two 20” iMacs and a color laser printer.

In less than a year, we had come further than we had in the three years we’d lived in Oregon. While I still don’t know if we’ll ever own a home again, I believe anything is possible.

One day, as I was unpacking, I pulled out an old pair of binoculars and gazed out the window. I was suddenly struck by a powerful sense of déjà vu as I recalled the dream I’d had in the motel before finding this place online. The only difference was that here, the trees were too thick and tall to see any houses through them. Sometimes, I don’t realize a dream is a premonition until it comes true.

After all this time, I’m still amazed we survived that nightmare. One thing’s certain: I’m glad we didn’t end up with Satish’s house!