“I just want to live under the same roof with my son and his...

“I just want to live under the same roof with my son and his mom.  We’re living apart right now while I look for a place we can afford.  But it’s been over two years now.  It’s hard on our relationship.  I hardly ever get to see my son.  I work at the post office.  That’s the ‘US Government.’  You think I’d be able to find a place for us to live.  But you go to a handful of apartments, and you realize it’s all the same.  They want credit this.  Background that.  But that’s not even the issue for me.  It’s the rent.  They expect your salary to be ten times the price of rent.  It’s like c’mon, man.  Only a certain class of people can afford that.  You’re telling me who you want.  And it’s not me.  I tried to go the affordable housing route.  But that’s a ‘wait list’ situation.  I got one call back in three years, and I made $300 too much.  So apparently you have to be dead poor or incredibly rich to find an apartment.  We even thought about going the shelter route.  Just go all the way under.  Just to be together.  But I didn’t want to risk it.  It’s not safe enough for my son.  So I just throw up my hands.  It’s hard to know where to point the finger.  It’s on me, I guess.  I’ve got to figure out how to make as much as possible to provide the bare necessities.  But I’ve tried everything in my power.  I’m not sure what else to do.”