I connected with TJ as a little boy. He would look at me in such a way that I felt his inner voice saying to me "You will help and guide me. You will have answers to life for me." I bought him little things such as coin collections. On subsequent visits he would find them and bring them out to show me. He grew to a teenager and I was concerned that his growth was stunted. I suggested he get medical help for growth if necessary. In later years he told me he had been given two diagnoses: ADD and chronic depression. He was prescribed adderol but did not comply with medications.
At fifteen I noticed he was missing from family gatherings. I asked his family questions and went searching with his younger sister for him. She knew his friends houses in their neighborhood. At 17 his mother died of a prescription drug overdose. Her six children including TJ were scattered and came under care of social services in many cases. Five found homes. TJ was left in the home of a friend and later a series of friends some of whom were likely squatters. I heard reports that TJ was into porno and regularly stealing bikes. He did smoke tobacco and told me his mother had smoked half a pack of Kools while pregnant with him. "So I came out addicted." His grandmother established a bank account from which he was able to withdraw small amounts. He seemed to be conscientious on this. TJ had my phone number and contacted me about once a week asking if I had any work for him. I did usually have work about once a week and would pick him up at various locations where he was staying with friends or relatives. At 20 he was proud to have a job as a painter employed by a "gypsy" man. At about this time he lost a front tooth "horsing around" with the gypsy. I think it is possible that they had an altercation. At 24 I took on the challenge of having TJ in my home with his agreement that he would help with home home chores and more importantly commit to achieving his GED. After two turbulent years, no GED, and an altercation with his half-brother and my renter, I forced TJ to move and took his belongings to an uncles.
He lived with that uncle until they "bumped heads." Then with people unknown to me in the Del Paso Heights area of Sacramento. Most recently he has lived on a vacant lot in Del Paso Heights. I continued to pick him up there and bring him back to Rocklin where he would wash his clothing and do small jobs for me.
He is now 25 and On his most recent trip to my home he washed his clothes, visited King the dog and took a shower. He changed clothes and was ready for drop off at the vacant lot. As he retrieved his belongings to take to the tent or shack he inhabited I noticed he was wearing Superman pajamas and big fluffy slippers to his home on the vacant lot.
At fifteen I noticed he was missing from family gatherings. I asked his family questions and went searching with his younger sister for him. She knew his friends houses in their neighborhood. At 17 his mother died of a prescription drug overdose. Her six children including TJ were scattered and came under care of social services in many cases. Five found homes. TJ was left in the home of a friend and later a series of friends some of whom were likely squatters. I heard reports that TJ was into porno and regularly stealing bikes. He did smoke tobacco and told me his mother had smoked half a pack of Kools while pregnant with him. "So I came out addicted." His grandmother established a bank account from which he was able to withdraw small amounts. He seemed to be conscientious on this. TJ had my phone number and contacted me about once a week asking if I had any work for him. I did usually have work about once a week and would pick him up at various locations where he was staying with friends or relatives. At 20 he was proud to have a job as a painter employed by a "gypsy" man. At about this time he lost a front tooth "horsing around" with the gypsy. I think it is possible that they had an altercation. At 24 I took on the challenge of having TJ in my home with his agreement that he would help with home home chores and more importantly commit to achieving his GED. After two turbulent years, no GED, and an altercation with his half-brother and my renter, I forced TJ to move and took his belongings to an uncles.
He lived with that uncle until they "bumped heads." Then with people unknown to me in the Del Paso Heights area of Sacramento. Most recently he has lived on a vacant lot in Del Paso Heights. I continued to pick him up there and bring him back to Rocklin where he would wash his clothing and do small jobs for me.
He is now 25 and On his most recent trip to my home he washed his clothes, visited King the dog and took a shower. He changed clothes and was ready for drop off at the vacant lot. As he retrieved his belongings to take to the tent or shack he inhabited I noticed he was wearing Superman pajamas and big fluffy slippers to his home on the vacant lot.
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