In 2006 I was living in my van in a Walmart parking lot in Denver, Colorado. The Highlands Ranch Walmart if you want specifics. Highlands Ranch is the upscale snooty rich neighborhood of Denver - on the south side. I drove past a Rolls-Royce dealer on my way to the dog-park to let my dog run every morning. And other than Pannera Bread and the fast-food places, there weren’t a lot of restaurants where I could even afford a cup of coffee, let alone a meal. I appreciated the wealth around me and told myself that it was a reflection of my inner richness. Then I laughed real hard until I cried.

I still drive that same van. This week I had to go to court to pay $101 for not having an inspection sticker. I had one, but it was expired because I let it sit in a driveway for 8 months while I took care of a friend who had health problems. I drove her car, neglected mine and didn’t notice the inspection sticker. So I got a ticket.

Lesson One: Look out for number one FIRST.

Then I had it inspected, but it failed inspection. The judge didn’t give me a chance to explain that. He wouldn’t look at the documentation or photos I had of the work I had had done since the inspection, or even take three minutes to shut up and try to understand what I was trying to say. He was too busy telling me what I “should” have done and assumed I had or hadn’t done. His mind was made up about what he thought I said.

“Next.” Justice marches on and he has fees to collect. It would have saved me $30 if he had listened. But he didn’t. I knew he wouldn’t. Judges never listen to those who appear without a lawyer. My one fantasy is that when all lawyers get to the throne of God and think they get to defend their sorry butts before the ultimate judge, God says, “Next!” and kicks their sorry butts to hell and never gives THEM a chance to say anything.

Lesson Number Two: Save myself the aggravation and accept our justice system sucks and send in the blood money and don’t waste a morning in court.

Anyway, I spent almost $600 this month fixing what wasn’t up to state standards so I could get it reinspected today. I did about $100 worth of stuff (parts) to it myself (wipers, bulbs, headlights etc) to save $$$ on labor.

So today I went to another inspection station (Tuffy Mufflers on 1150 Richmond Road in Charlottesville - they ROCK they are SOOO awesome. I LOVE them. If you need work, go. They are so good! They didn’t even charge me for the re-inspection since I can’t legally have another one. They just considered it an estimate. Their customer service is incredible. They are so good - especially Chris, the manager.) Anyway - the other station I took it to before was busy. The Tuffy station found another $673 worth of stuff that needs fixing that the first place “missed”. And they can’t issue another rejection sticker because the state only “allows” you one. So I can’t drive it unless I want to risk another $101 fine and court costs.

Lesson Three: There are good, kind businesses in this world.

It needs:

Brake Springs, rear wheel seals, brake shoes and labor on the brakes - $216.63
Lower Ball Joints and labor, front end work - $319.98
A marker bulb (the light on the side of the van so people coming from the side can see me), a new lens for the side light and electrical testing to figure out why my bulbs keep shorting out. -$56.22 for all that.
And finally, my horn doesn’t work, and neither does the defroster or the backup lights - more shorts since they work sometimes.

So, for about $673 for that, and another $50 to get the side door fixed so it opens properly…I’ll have transportation again. But I don’t have the $$. Clients are slow to pay, or cancel projects. I have rent on my storage unit, gas, food, and whatever….and have to spend the next month “robbing Peter to pay Paul” basically while not being able to drive to the grocery store or library or wherever. I have a dentist who is letting me get my teeth fixed on the installment plan, but I can’t drive to see him (three hours away) now either.

Lesson Four: Fire clients who can’t get it or keep it together and don’t respect me or my time or the value I bring to their projects so I can afford to keep my van on the road.

It made me realize again how close I still am, how close so many of us are, to seriously being over the edge. I have jobs coming in, but when a client bails on a project (a $300 one) as a client did this week, it really puts me in a tough spot.

So, that’s what it’s like to be one of the “working poor.” I’m grateful for Tuffy, grateful that eventually this month I’ll have the $$$ to pay for the repairs, but still very, very much aware that an illness, another client bailing, or any one of a dozen things could happen…this Mac crashing for the 40th time…and I’d be homeless for real. This time without wheels. Being an entrepreneur isn’t for sissies - that’s for sure.

Lesson Five: You don’t get tempered steel without hammering, heating and beating the hell out of it. I’m on my way to being God’s razor edged wonder.