I know that somewhere far from here exists a place without this constant fear of losing the ground under my feet, and that is my hope in writing this message. I know that someone out there will read this, and have the ability to do something to help. Our group has been through so much the past few months, and we need it more than we ever have before.

Let me start at the beginning. After living in an apartment for a year, the cramped and noisy life of a box stacked with many other boxes, moving into a house seemed like a great idea. Not only would I be free from the crack dealer next door, but I would be paying less for the luxury. The downside, I would have 8 room mates, all sharing the same bills, with all the drama, mess, and hassle that comes with sharing things like a kitchen and bathroom.

Things went fine for a long time. The entire term of the lease in fact. We made CricketSoda what it is today, and our best videos were filmed in the front yard of that place. I will never forget the times had. When the period came for us to fine a new place, the landlord demanding money or furniture, the electric bill exploding out of control, many members of our posse took for the hills, and left a heap of owed debts.

My owed debt, the electric bill. 8 people worth of electricity for 3 months. $2400 worth of a bill in my name, all put on the shoulder of a college student hunting for his next meal, and praying his car doesn’t run out of gas so far from home.

So I did what I could. I paid as much as I could, but until the debt was paid off I ducked under the mighty gun of the government controlled electric company. I am lucky enough to have friends willing to live with me, the electric in their name every time because I was royally fucked in those books.

Of course, I couldn’t get away from it forever, and after a few months, we woke up one morning to a horrible ordeal.

The dogs tail kept hitting me in the face, and after awhile I just couldn’t force myself to ignore it. Other things started happening. A little light from the sun outside, the air seemed a little stuffy, and then the dog tongue came and it was time to go outside or end up with a pile in the living room. Then, you notice that this morning has a different feel to it than most mornings. It is warm, a little moist, and very uncomfortable.

The computer is off, and it won’t turn back on. The television would be wasting your early morning inspirations, but the screen is black and useless. The only thing that lights up when you touch it is your cell phone. So you call the power company.

Bad news, you owe more than your worth. The electric company had tricked one of your friends, and now they have you in the corner. All they had to do was wait for this friend to break up with his girlfriend and when he tried to transfer the bill over to his name, slip in a little piece of paper. “Sign here,” and all of the sudden my entire balance isn’t my problem anymore. My best friend now is in financial ruin.

And it didn’t stop there. After many payments, many late fees, many phone arguments and in person threats, beggings, and uncountable crying stress freak outs, I was granted the ability to transfer this balance into anyone’s name I wanted. All I had to do is sign a transfer slip, and whoever I said now owed the city a shit ton.

The excuse the city gives when the numerous people go up and yell at them for this new debt from someone else is that since it is a municipality, they have the ability to do pretty much what ever they want. They don’t have to give a payment plan, and they can ruin anyone’s credit they have to so they get their money.

When my friends bring up the constitution and their personal rights, the supervisor Pam calls the police on us. The officer comes and stands behind us for a moment, his reflection in the window which protects Pam intimidating us while we beg for some type of compromise.”We want to pay it!” we claim, and all we get is a lecture on how they have bent backwards for us.

And so my friends, from time to time go without electricity because of me and my stupid past. Thank god they haven’t hung me out to dry just yet.

So I write this for your help. If I can’t solve this soon I figure I will have to transfer the bill to the mayor. At least then I will get the attention of the community, and how ridiculous this monopoly of an electric company we have in this town. But I am afraid that will just land me in jail on some type of fraud charge, and I would hate to have to do something like that over Pam and her “I don’t make the rules I just follow them” type of attitude.