From: JBrandt@AAA.UOregon.EDU (Jay Brandt (Jason))
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: The Phoenix Fund
Date: 16 Oct 92 20:33:47 GMT
Organization: University of Oregon, Architecture

Jason walks up to one end of the bar and sets his leather satchel down.
It's bulging more than usual, like something that doesn't belong there has
been stuffed inside. He drops a dollar on the bar and says "Mike, I'll have
a Dragon's Breath please, straight up." Mike hands him a swirling glass of
transparent red liquor. The alcohol fumes from the glass can be detected
from several feet away. Potent stuff.

He takes a drink, clears his throat and waits a bit for the conversations
to get down to a dull roar, then says "Hi everyone. I have a favor to ask
of you, and it's something that is very difficult for me to ask for. A
friend of mine needs help, because her life lately has been looking like
the worst clips from a soap opera. All the problems and nasty breaks, with
very little positive stuff, aside from the support of a very few friends in
person and on the net." The noise drops off as most of the patrons stop
what they are doing and listen.

"Many of you may remember my friend Julia, who recently came here as
Phoenix. For those of you who missed the various posts about her recent
troubles, she is the mother of my two god-children, Jordon (age five) and
Devon (age two and a half). Phoenix is a single mom on welfare, who has
been busting her buns for the last four years and more, trying to escape
the welfare system and make a decent life for her kids and herself. She
almost made it with a BSN degree, but got cut out of the program with just
one semester to go. One instructor wouldn't take into account the realities
of trying to raise two kids on a severely limited income, while going to
college. Undaunted, she applied at another school, and used her credits
plus a few more classes to get a Bachelor's degree in History."

"One of her kids, Jordon, has recently been diagnosed as having a
developmental disorder similar to a low-end case of Autism. This has made
him very difficult to handle lately. As a result of a nasty chain of
unfortunate events, CSD (the Children's Services Division), swept in on her
and took the kids to a foster home. This almost killed Julia, who really
lives for her kids. She's never abused them, physically or verbally, and
has gone out of her way to try to provide nice things for them. With a lot
of love and support from the folks here and from my wife and myself, we
have Phoenix back to some semblance of being able to cope. She still misses
the kids more than words can express, and she is fighting like mad in
court, with the limited resources she does have, to get them back."

"As if these developments weren't enough of a burden, she also had to go
into the hospital recently to have her appendix removed. But Welfare had
cut off her medical insurance benefits a few days earlier. No kids at home,
no benefits. Makes all kinds of sense, don't it. Grrrrr. First they take
the kids, then that screws up her welfare support and finances, then if she
can't hold everything together anyway, in spite of the emotional shock and
stripping away her support, it just justifies taking the kids. Right? It
makes me sick."

Jason realizes that several soap boxes have appeared beneath his feet, and
he hops back down to the floor.

"Anyway, where this leaves us is that Phoenix is scrambling to put together
funds to pay her bills. She has to cover about 20% of her hospital stay and
surgery (fortunately a student policy from her school has kicked in the
other 80%. She needs to make up for what welfare and the other social
services will no longer pay on her rent (not much, just about $90 per
month, so long as there is some chance of the kids returning to her). And
she needs to make payments on the few niceties she had managed to lease for
the kids, like a TV, a VCR, a stereo and a laundry pair. Most of the leased
stuff is almost paid off, at which point they become hers to keep. But if
she can't continue payments, they go back to the rental center. She is
looking for work, and trying to pick up odd jobs, but needs help to make it
over this financial hump."

He bends down and extracts a coffee can from the satchel. On it is painted
a half-silver, half-black Phoenix on a field of red and gold flames. Around
the rim are the words "THE PHOENIX FUND" in gold lettering. He places it on
the end of the bar. "That brings us to this" he says "I realize many of us
don't have much in the way of disposable income, and I really hate to ask
for contributions, but I'm trying to do everything I can for Phoenix. I've
already tapped out my own meager financial resources. I can't do anything
more to help her with this crisis, other that represent her here and
correspond with her by e-mail. If any of you can help financially, we would
appreciate it. All funds will be used to pay her bills, or to help her
kids. If by some miracle of generosity there is more than she has need of,
we will donate the rest to programs that help women who are in trouble."

"The details are on the top of the can. I'll act as clearing house for any
funds, and will get the money to Phoenix. If you can't help financially,
but just want to give Phoenix your support, her e-mail address is
<I3JW@PSUORVM.CC.PDX.EDU>."

"Thanks for listening. " with that he strides to the chalkline and says

"To the System, and a way out!"

<<Crash>> <Whuffff!> The glass shatter in the fireplace, and the remaining
liquor explodes in a blue-white fireball.

A few interested patrons look at the can on the bar. There is a label
affixed to the top, which reads :

[-----------------------------------------------]
[               THE PHOENIX FUND                ]
[                                               ]
[  Send contributions to :                      ]
[                                               ]
[        PHOENIX c/o Jay B. Brandt              ]
[        795 W 5th, Apt #7                      ]
[        Eugene, Oregon, USA   97402            ]
[                                               ]
[  Checks should be payable to "Jay Brandt"     ]
[                                               ]
[  Many thanks for your help, more than words   ]
[  can express. With your help the light at the ]
[  end of the tunnel won't be another train.    ]
[-----------------------------------------------]