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Disrupted Childhood: Bridge Out

February 7, 2018 by Jim Potter Leave a Comment

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·  Bridge Out  ·

Recently I posted a blog episode about a family who had been evicted from their home. I wondered about the short and long term consequences on children, especially to their psychological well-being.

One friend contacted me and recommended the book Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, by Donna Jackson Nakazawa. She told me about an active community group making a difference in this area.

Another friend called me and informed me that he and his family were evicted twice when he was a teenager. I’ll call him Daniel.

Like many people sliding into debt, Daniel recalled how his first eviction experience followed the divorce of his parents. That’s when his mother supported herself and three children by relying on tips from her job as a waitress.

Daniel understood the consequences of his mother not paying the bills because he remembers the times without utilities. This economic hardship was a secret the family kept from others because they were proud.

My adult friend, decades later, recalls when the utility bill finally got paid and the lights went on. “It was something to celebrate, to be joyous about; I was just so happy, but unfortunately she’d get behind on something else.”

Daniel’s family was evicted and what made it inconceivable to him was that it was initiated by his grandparents. To this day, it’s still hard for Daniel to comprehend.

To help keep the lights on and pay the rent, Daniel worked a lot as a young teen. But one day when he was home alone, asleep on his bed, he heard pounding on the door. It was a half-dozen deputy sheriffs.

The veteran police officers showed Daniel the paperwork and told him they were there to take all the property in the house. A moving van outside with the company name “Jones Storage” confirmed the seriousness of the legal papers.

This eviction happened in the days before instant communication. There wasn’t even a phone in the house for Daniel to use to call anyone. He was outnumbered and overwhelmed.

One officer told him to get his dog put up or they’d take the canine. Another officer interrogated Daniel about a “BRIDGE OUT” sign hanging on the bedroom wall.

How can an eviction like this not affect a person? When a child goes to school in the morning, are they wondering if they will return to the same home and personal possessions in the afternoon?

How much does a child blame a parent or parents when they lose their home? Parents are the adults who are supposed to make sense of the world, to protect children from bullies, bogeymen, and deputy sheriffs who enforce evictions.

Parents are also expected to provide a safe, caring environment; this means a home with food and unconditional parental love.

Daniel can’t tell me how much of who he is today is a result of living on the economic edge. He admits, “I don’t trust people,” and that, “I haven’t got rid of that anger, that hurt.”

The consequences of poverty overlap; it’s difficult to tell what outcome is the result of what event. Daniel’s mother remarried. She chose an abusive alcoholic. Daniel lived and worked in violent environments. Where is the cause and effect?

Daniel shares, “I haven’t been able to put down my guard.” He’ll never know what life would have been like to him if he had grown up in a “normal” environment.

He’s not giving up. He lives by these words: “You can make a change in your life. You can do better.” While he’s at it, he’s also helping his community as a seasoned volunteer, making a difference.

However, there are some days when he’s driving in Hutchinson on Monroe Street, north of 30th Avenue, when he looks to the west and he sees the inside of a residential garage. A “STOP” sign is mounted on the wall as a decoration.

It always brings back memories. It takes Daniel back to the day he was alone at home and heard pounding at the door.

Until next time, happy writing and reading!

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Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

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