Another brief snapshot in the life

Got borrower on the phone, first time anyone has spoken to him, and he wasn't scared off by the warning, and says he has no money to pay the bills.

Not a problem, I tell him. Just need to take a brief financial statement - in the current economy I hear from lots of unemployed people. What's your current mailing address?

"Well, I'm living in a tent."

I pause, re-check the number. Yep - Washington State area code. In February.

"Are you still in Washington?"

"Yep. Mighty cold for tent living."

"I can imagine. So..." There is a prescribed order for questions to ask at this point, but I'm throwing it out the window. "So what's your current situation right now?"

Current situation is this: he went to massage therapy school, was three courses shy of graduation, and got into an accident that wrecked his right shoulder and right knee, effectively ending a career in massage therapy. Which wouldn't have been so bad, had his previous career not been carpentry, which clearly with a wrecked right shoulder he can't fall back on.

So, currently, he is living in a tent on property his parents own in Washington. The phone I called his actually his daughter's phone, who lives with his parents, and they pay for the phone. He has no idea how I got the number, nor do I.

We tried to qualify him for a hardship program, but he had no references he could give (hardship program requires two), and he said if he could come up with two references he'll give us a call. "I haven't got any paper, so I'll just scratch your number here in the dirt with a stick. As long as it doesn't rain or snow in the next couple of days I'll give you a call."

Called the next day - phone was disconnected. Forecast for heavy rain in Eastern Washington. I wish him the best of luck.