The Crack House

My son’s salvaging habit started small, but steadily grew. Jeffrey learned from the best, Uncle Jack.

Uncle Jack was always looking for a good deal. Classified ads, flea markets and garage sales were venues to find valuable second-hand commodities. His barn, house, and shed were bursting with bargains. My uncle suffered during The Great Depression and vowed to never be without again. If anyone needed anything, he had it stashed somewhere. Uncle Jack’s fortress filled with recycled resources was far superior to a toy store to Jeffrey.

As a toddler, Jeffrey would bring home trinkets from his beloved visits with Uncle Jack. Once my son had his own wheels (first a used bicycle, then a reconditioned four-wheeler, and later an old truck), he developed his own salvaging skills. While Jeffrey was not a pack rat like my uncle, he could not pass up an opportunity to negotiate a good deal.

My son’s biggest score took place while I was visiting my sister in New York. All parents get unexpected telephone calls from their children, hold their breath and pray for guidance. I knew when Jeffrey asked for Mama, this would be one of those occasions.

His excited voice resonated across the phone lines when he asked, “Mama, can I bring home a mobile home?”

Gilchrist County was selling an evidence trailer, primarily used for drug related cases. Since the unit had been vacant for a long time, county officials were anxious to make a sale. Jeffrey bid $500 and became the proud owner of what we lovingly named The Crack House.

His newly acquired home needed lots of attention. Jeffrey spent long relentless days and nights completely gutting the structure, replacing everything from walls to wiring, and installing appliances, cabinetry and flooring. Many times along this rebuilding endeavor Jeffrey was exhausted and wanted to quit. Restoration was expensive, time consuming and a grueling task. Resurrecting The Crack House became a bigger chore than he had bargained for, but he persevered.

After many months of hard labor, his overwhelming venture was finally finished. The amazing, adorable abode was ready. Jeffrey married his gorgeous girlfriend, Tia, only days after its completion. No one could ever guess the humble beginnings of their perfect starter home, as it was a masterpiece. Uncle Jack would have been proud.

Fast-forward four years. Deja vu delivered a very familiar request, “Mama, can I bring home a mobile home?”

No longer newlyweds, The Crack House was too small for their needs. This time, however, Jeffrey and Tia ordered a big brand new manufactured home. Even though everything is new, I know Uncle Jack is still smiling. He was instrumental in teaching his nephew a valuable lesson learned from his challenging childhood.

Uncle Jack was a product of tough times. He sometimes went to bed hungry, walked in shoes with holes in their soles, and was responsible for raising his younger brother. Wasting anything was a sin and saving was sacred.

An excerpt from a report written by Robert J. Samuelson states, “The Great Depression of the thirties remains the most important economic event in American history. It caused enormous hardship for tens of millions of people … It is hard for those who did not live through it to grasp the full force of the worldwide depression.”

The music and poetry of the era accurately reflect the deep despair felt by my uncle and others who survived The Great Depression. A passage from a song written in 1931, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime,” screams for help. “Why don’t your remember, I’m your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?”

Pantoum of the Great Depression, a poem by Donald Justice, expressed more doom. One line from this sad sonnet says it all, “The Great Depression had entered our souls like fog.”

Most Americans have not faced the fog Justice described and unfortunately have embraced a horrible habit; to simply discard unwanted goods. Salvaging is a skill from the past. Jeffrey and I are thankful to Uncle Jack for sharing his wisdom. Today’s current financial climate is certainly tumultuous. Should we encounter another episode of economic failure, Jeffrey will be ready.

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