Better to ask than to assume

Better to ask than to assume

EDITOR:

The letter in the “How you see it” column last Sunday concerning begging intrigued me because it’s about my family. I would like to dispel a few of the delusions that the writer has arrived at. My old football coach, Bob Dove, once showed me what could happen when we “assume” anything. I believe last Sunday’s writer has caused that to occur.

First and foremost the “assumed child” is my wife of 27 years, and the bearer of our four sons. So you see, she’s already been to school. Secondly we did not recently “acquire a dog.” We’ve had him since he was a pup, over nine years now.

You should probably also know that I’ll take any work offered me if I am capable. Last July I earned $1,340. After I fed four people and the dog, bought glasses, paid some personal debts, paid our cell phone bill and bought my wife’s medication, there wasn’t enough left to get inside. I’d also like to tell you that the cigarettes we were smoking are hand-rolled, two dollars a day for both of us. Nicotine is a powerful appetite suppressant. As for the fast food? Someone heeded Christ’s call to “feed the hungry.” Where we live? In a tent in the woods. How the dog eats? We have friends that bring him food. At the moment he has a 50 pound supply of Kibble.

A couple other things you should know is that our 22 year old son has had two suicide attempts and been in and out of mental health facilities since he was 18. In fact he’s in one now. Maybe I should also tell you that a little over a year ago we buried a 17-year-old, Nicholas.

Have I answered all your questions? Oh yeah! I forgot. Is begging necessary and is it legal? First it’s not begging. A sign identical to ours kept us inside for 20 consecutive months. Is it legal? Virtually every Youngstown cop we’ve talked to believes it is.

The sad thing about this is that had you simply stopped and asked us these things we would have told you. Many stop to talk, to pray, to help us out a little. You could have done the same. Instead you write a ludicrous letter, and make an a-- of u and me.

BILL DeCOLA

Somewhere in the woods