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The Move

Georgia On My Mind

By Chasity WilsonPublished 3 years ago 8 min read
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So much has happened in my life in the past 3 years. I moved to the West Coast and struggle every day to make ends meet. The thoughts that cloud my mind sometimes make me lose focus of what I'm working towards. Don't get me wrong, I live in an awesome community and love so much about this place, but I want to move back to Georgia.

I've been trying to pay off my car and then save up to go back to my family. After losing all of my grandparents just in the past year I had this strong need to move back. I miss my family and my friends that I left behind. It seems almost impossible lately with COVID-19 and getting my children back in my care.

There is so much that needs to be done, but I will get it done in time. Impatience creeps into my thoughts almost always and I just want to drop everything and go. Pack up my small family and travel across the country again.

When we moved out here, we began our journey in a used vehicle that made it farther than should've been expected. We started the trip in Alabama after being homeless and no one being able to help. We came here to get the help of my partner's family. He got me out of a bad relationship and we hold each other together when either of us want to fall apart. If we both fall apart we build each other back up. We motivate each other and that in itself makes me love him more.

His family was helping us before we even got out here. His mother is a saint in my opinion. She sent us money when we ran out if she had it. We were surviving on snacks and convenient store food or fast food and sleeping at rest stops. All of this with two small children and no jobs. We took the money we got from our last paychecks at a chicken processing plant that has now shut down. Unfortunately, when you are lower class you take any job you can get. So we took the money and said our goodbyes to family and friends and headed out.

There were so many sights that we took in on the drive. We ran out of gas at one point and my partner had to walk down the interstate to a gas station when a friendly family picked him up and drove him there and back to the van. I sat there in the drivers seat with my small children trying to keep them calm and entertained. He returned and the gentleman that drove him got out and helped us fuel up. He never asked for payment even though I tried and he told me to keep it. My partner thanked him and we started our journey once more. A few days later the van broke down for a bit. The temperature gauge was on hot and we had to let it cool off before we could move on. A nice man stopped to help and had a jug of water with him. He said it needed oil as well and to put some in it as soon as we could. We started putting oil in it because that was the issue. After putting a few quarts in we pushed forward. We made it to Grand Junction, Colorado before the van broke down and we had no options on fixing it. It threw a rod and was done for. We sat on the side of the interstate waiting to see if we would get cellular services, which we didn't. It began getting dark and we started worrying even more. Then when we thought we weren't going to get any further, a very nice truck driver stopped to help us. His name was John and he said he was heading to a truck stop a few miles down the road. We explained our situation to him and he told us about himself a little. He told us to grab whatever we could carry and he would take us to the truck stop where there was a woman who may be able to help us. I grabbed more clothes and diapers and wipes for the kids than anything for myself or my partner and we headed to the truck stop.

When we arrived he told us to wait in the lounge and he would talk to Stephanie. We went in and he told her all about our situation that he knew. She told him she would take us with her when her shift was over and we would see about getting help in reaching our destination. We purchased a few things to eat and drink and even took showers there. She was very nice and we filled in the gaps of our story to her. She told us to try and rest and she would wake us when her shift was over. I couldn't sleep though. I was too worried about my children and our fate at this point, but I got a small nap in a couple of hours before she was supposed to be off. It was better than no sleep at all.

Stephanie was finishing up her end of shift duties and then walked us out to her car. We climbed in and held on tight to the children since we couldn't exactly carry those seats with us when we left the van. She took us to her home and offered us some coffee and water. She introduced us to her husband and they were really nice people. They took us to the heart of Grand Junction and told us to ask for help with tickets and diapers and wipes. We got help with the diapers and wipes, and even a bit of food for all of us, but they couldn't help us with tickets to get to California. My partner called his mom and kept her updated on the situation the moment we got to the truck stop so he was keeping her informed when we arrived at different locations. She had a coworker who purchased all 4 us tickets to get to a bus stop near my partner's mom. Lisa had been talking to my partners mom and knew the circumstances and offered a helping hand.

We were on the Greyhound bus that evening heading to California. We slept that night with full bellies and a semi comfortable seat with the children between us. We made a stop at a truck stop so drivers could trade out and we grabbed some snacks and drinks to hold us over. We stopped in Bakersfield, California for a rest and then again in Fresno, California. When we stopped in Fresno the driver mentioned that there were complaints about our small children being loud and restless and that he was going to talk it over with his supervisor and let him decide if we could continue our trip. These children aged 1 and 3 were being too loud and restless because they had been traveling for the better part of a week! I was angry and upset about the entire situation. My partner called his mom again just in case she would have to come get us. At least we were closer now than we were in Colorado. Luckily we were allowed back on the bus. We made it into Sacramento and all decided that was where the bus ride was going to end. My partner's mom sent her husband to pick us up from the bus station and we were finally on our way to something better.

We arrived at my partner's mom's and it was late. We all had a bath and some good food in our bellies and we finally got to sleep in a bed. The trip was finally over, but now we had a lot to do. My partner had a job lined up for our arrival and started a few days after we made it to his mom's. That was one step down and a lot to go. We lived there for a while and got the kids in day care and I got a job and we got a car that had to be paid on. It was looking pretty good. Then we had to move out. We stayed in a hotel for about a week or two and then decided we could not afford to do that any longer. We reached out for help and was pointed to a place we could live until we saved up money to move into a place. It was better than where we had been 6 months before so we managed. We finally got into an apartment and started building a life. My kids went to live with their dad for a little over a year which was a huge mistake, but they are back with me now.

Here we are 2 years later and I am the only one working and the only one with a driver's license. Taking kids back and forth to school and going to work. Struggling to make ends meet again and I just want to go back to Georgia. I need my family and they are in better positions to help us in now. I feel guilty for wanting to go back, but I feel like it's the better situation for us now. Just have to fight to make it happen!

humanity
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About the Creator

Chasity Wilson

I just want to share my story

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