Month: May 2026

Furniture Direct Buy – Remember–When someone else is asking the Questions.  They are in control.  Use Mr./Mrs. if you have not verified first name, and first name if you have.

”How much does it cost?” (First question on cost.  Presume it relates to the information.)  There’s no cost for the information (first)  The only thing we do ask is that if we take the time to send you the information, you read it over and consider visiting the club.  Fair enough? …  Go back to script.

”What is the membership fee?” (Second question on cost. Related directly to membership.) There are several different plans available (first) and that all depends on the type and length of membership.  All that will be covered in the Open House, now as I was saying… Go back to script.

“Is there any obligation?” (First) the only obligation is that if we send you the information, you read throught it.  Then if it’s interesting, we’ll invite you to come see for yourself how much less things actually cost.  Fair enought?…  Go back to script.

”You folks have called before.”  Oh, good!  Well, let me ask you, have you (folks) ever taken the opportunity to actually visit our DirectBuy club?  Yes: Go to answere#8 No. Okay well….Go back to script.

”How did you get my name.?” (First)  I’ve been given a list of people here in the city area to give them the opportunity to hear about DirectBuy and I was calling…Go back to script.

”I don’t want to set an appoinment now.” (Incentive or Non-Incentive PR)  We don’t either (first).  We just want you to read the information, and then if it’s interesting, we’ll confirm and Open House time…. Go back to script.

”We’re already members!”  Okay, we’ll look forward to seeing you at the club soon.  Have a nice morning/afternoon/evening.)

”We already been in.”  So you (folks) have already attended and Open House that lasts about an hour or so at a Direct Buy club?  Yes:  Okay, how long ago was that?  (If within last year)  Then as you know, you’re not eligible for membership at this time.  But you have a nice (morning/afternoon/evening)  Good Buy.”

”No: Well you sould definitely come in to see how DirectBuy works.  Now, as I was saying….Go back to script.

 

I was on what number of jobs now?  Biz-x, Top Search, STVA, Banquet serving, Cascade, Walk-in-Bathtub, Claims R US, 3- day job-Prominence, Defi and now Furniture Direct Buy.

Eleven Jobs.  But who’s  counting?

Direct Buy, is a Membership buying service.  Headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana.  It claims that this is the largest Franchiser of Members-Only consumer buying centers in North America.  Members pay a significant fee.  Which then entitles them to buy Merchandise ”Directly from the Manufacturer.” And its autorized suppliers.”

My newest job at Furniture Direct Buy.  Is as a position as a Telemarketer.  This one worked, from 1pm to 9pm with a Dinner break.

That was good, as it gave me, Banquet serving hours in the morning.

We each had our own Cubicle in a Call Room.  For the first three months of training you get minimum wage.  With the promise of increased pay in the 4th month.

We were to call people that had received our Post Card.  And a chance to Win the Golden Key!

If they came inside Furniture Buy, and tried on the Key, that is attached to their letter, they could win a Prize, if the Key fits the Lock!!!

There was one-worker. Carol.  I tried really hard not to stare. However, it didn’t seem to bother her that her tattooed eyebrows, looked like a black tire track.  That missed the corner of her eye and landed in a heap on the other side of her forehead??

I felt sorry for her.  I tried to keep my eyes. Just on her eyes.  But, she didn’t even notice. Because, she was too busy, shouting commands.  Not just me.  Everyone.  And she had obiviously never heard of Inside Voice.

Carol trained me. And then, at breaks, would start the commands:

Did I do this?  Or that?

And literally, my ears.

Would be ringing.

 

 

Trish reached over and took my hand and gave it a quick squeeze. ”Well, enough already!  Failure and Fear go hand in hand.”  She shook her head and reached into her handbag.  She pulled out her phone.  ”I know someone who can help you.”  I could hear the phone ringing and then Trish said. ”Penny, this is Trish.  Oh, yes, dinner tonight.  Right, great I’m looking forward to it.  I thought that perhaps we.”   She stopped talking and listened intently and then she said, ”By the way, I wanted to talk to you about my neighbor.” ”Yes, that one whose husband abandoned her.  She needs work. Great. Thanks, hon.  See you tonight.”

Not sure of my next step.  I was relieved and once again found that people will help you if you just ask.  A week later, I sat inside an Insurance office, working part-time for Trish’s best friend, Penny.  I parked my beat-up red truck far away on my first day, and walked into the building.  I found her Insurance Office door and knocked. Penny, tall, well dressed with wispy gray hair.  Told me that she was 70 years old and had found a great new tool to use in Insurance.  We went into a room with a large round wood table.  And in the front a large white Dry Erase Board hung on the wall.  Penny handed me a college-ruled composition book to take notes.  And I grabbed a pen out of an extra-large pencil holder made out of the same wood as the table.

She explained that it was called ”Bank on Yourself.”  And writing rapidly on the whiteboard,  I was trying to write down everything she wrote, to put in my new crisp composition book.  ”Jillie,  Bank on Yourself is a company and strategy that lets you bypass Banks and Wall Street and take back control of your money and finances with whole Life Insurance Policies.

I like Penny.  She is vibrant, enthusiastic, and happy to have me.  My hours were from 3 to 8pm making phone calls to her client list about this new program.  Today, I have $125.00 from Penny and $85 from a Boat Renter in the field.   I have still not Foreclosed.  I was still begging creditor’s.  However, I did miss a payment on Novadebt.  I have been late twice but not missed.  ”I told the Operator.  She said, ”She had heard a lot.  But my story was the far worse story than any she heard.”  She said, ”A woman spent 16 years in Prison.  A crime she didn’t commit.  But Jilly, your crime was you were too nice, and your Husband abused that.  And girl, I know you have been struggling to pay your bills.

But do not give up!  Not now you are trying and doing a Damn good job.  So don’t give up now, Missy!”   ”Thank you,” I said.  ”Your kindness made my day!”  I told her I would not give up!  And that I would continue my practice of calling the Mortgage every other day.  To remind them not to Foreclose on me!

I know now, that I can always get a Telemarking job.  I know now, all my past fears I have are gone.  I don’t miss Mitch anymore.  And I am not crying as much.  However, I do miss security, stability, goals, and plans.  Penny would not be able to give me full-time work, so I continued to send resumes.

And three months later.  I got a call.

 

 

Unemployment wants work since 2010.

I actually had forgotten, my one month at AVST.  My 3 days at Financial Credit.  And now my four months at BIZX.

All had one thing in common.  Job’s that didn’t require any skill.  Other than calling on the phone.

I want to come back, out to the Sun.  But, I have once again, been kicked out.

So, so, tired.  Now, I have no choice, but to move forward.  However, all I want is comfort food, TV, and sleep.

On my last day with Biz X. That evening I went to the Post Office.  And unbelievably!!  Came back, and I had locked, my only house key!  Locked the Truck key! And double unbelievable!! I had left the Truck running.

A lady walked out of the Post Office.  And she suggested I walk across the street to the Fire Department.  In tears again…but not flowing.  I told the Fireman, who came with me, back to the truck.  He used a Slim Jim down the window.  Which popped the button in the door jam.

He hugged me GoodBye.  I almost didn’t let go.  I wanted soooo badly for somebody to save me.

After 7 months to find a full-time job.  Only to find me back to the dark, cold and clammy bottom.  So, so, so tired.  I know I have no choice but to move forward.  However, all I want is comfort food, TV, and sleep.

But my sweet, tiny, old lady, Neighbor sighs.  We sit across from each other on the window seat in my living room.  There is nowere else to sit.

I no longer have a kitchen table, or chairs, or living room furniture.  All sold.  For a considerable discount.  Great deals for the buyer.  Heartache for the seller.

Trish looks genuinely concerned at the empty rooms, and the tears falling down my face once again.  ”This is how I see myself,”  I had told Trish.

”Like a left-over Christmas Ornament  (found under the couch)  not worth the bother of putting it back into the Christmas box.  So, it ends up stored inside the pantry all year. ”

Out of the way.

Until next Christmas.

 

Where did my life go??

Two years and 7 months.  And 3 summers.  And I’am still suffering, financially, and mentally.  Still crying and tearing up.  I want to be happy.

I know, I have no right to complain, but the stress wears so thin.  One more worry on top of soooo many.  One good job.

I don’t miss Mitch anymore.  I like living by myself as it is home.  I miss security, stability, goals, plans, etc.  Now. I’am still in Limbo and Fear.

Still begging Creditors. When will the humiliation end.

I eat but don’t taste.  Sometimes, I swear I can’t breath.  I can’t get any air to swallow.

I can’t seem to reach what I want.  I want to buy clothes.  I have worn the same black pants for every job.  I do early, Banquet morning serving, every day I have worked.

I had unemployment from my last job.  And payments from Parking cars in the field, and my Barn Renter.  Right now, I have $70.00 to my name and bought 4 gallons of gas for my truck at $3.95 a gallon.

I knew Cascadia would not take me back, and I did not want to go back.

It is quite joyous knowing I have a Brain.  I always gave it away to Nick.  I never credited myself.  But, that had a lot do do, with the way I was raised in that era of Society.

Women came last.  Marriage came first.  Men were King.

I need to pay attention now to all the good in my life, and have an Attitute of Gratitude.

SOB has had a deed of trust on the house since Trial.

 

Today was a co-workers Birthday.  So we went out to lunch.  Me and Linda and a few others from work.  We took pictures, laughed, joked around, enjoyed the meal.  And the waitress brought everyone a piece of Birthday Cake!

We all came back into the office.  And I was standing by the cubicle of the Birthday girl.  When I got a tap on my shoulder.  I turned around smiling and it was Bernard.  He said, “That I was to go to the Conference room.”

“NOW.”

”Ok. I said, cheerilee.”  As I started walking.  I noticed that everyone in my cubicle section (Tommy’s Team) was not at their desk.  And then I saw the HR Manager walk into the Conference room.

I knew right then, and there, we were all getting laid off or fired.  An echoing emptiness surrounded me.  Bernard stood at the front of the table and said, ”He wanted his own Employees and we were all let go.”

Everyone was so concerned that I was shocked to see a New Employee already there.  His name was Bernard.  He was going to take over Tommy’s place until he was better.

I knew that Tommy would need time to recover.  And of course it made sense to bring in someone.  However the feeling I got was that Tommy was not coming back.  He was in the hospital and would be okay, but it could be months.

Berbard didn’t look like a Marketing Manager.  On the contrary he was the opposite of Tommy.  With his bald spot always bright red, wrinkle white shirts and his slip-on shoes that had seen better days.

He was constantly munching on a large jar of candy and pepperoni sticks.  On his (Tommy’s desk) and would come over to my cubicle and wonder why I never stopped by to enjoy his treats.

We had ship bell that you would ring if you got a sale.  So, I rang it almost every day.  Tommy was still in the Hospital and it had been three weeks and no one knew when he would be coming back.

Today was the annual Golf Tournament that my company participated in every year.  I was excited to attend and to be outside—No phone calling!  Me, Tommy, and another employee arrived at the Golf Course.  We were directed into the Lodge, where we had a HUGE breakfast together.

Tommy is excited looking forward to playing Golf with our Members.  And he explained the agenda for the day.  First, we were to Meet and Greet.  And set up our table on the Golf Course.  Then our job was to thank Golfers for coming and handing out brochures and candy.  We will be sitting most of the day until the Evening Event.

After breakfast, Tommy took  us up to our golf cart.  And he helped us set up.  We had fun meeting and greeting and driving our golf cart.  And before you knew it was time to close up and head back to the Clubhouse for the early evening event.

As we got closer to the Lodge, one of Tommy’s fellow golfers came running to us.  ”Tommy has had an accident.  And he is unconscious!!

My colleague and I arrived in the parking lot where we found out that Tommy had been in a Golf Cart with other golfers and fell out onto Concrete and hit his head, bleeding profusely.

The Ambulance came.  And we were told to go home.  And come back to the office tomorrow.  I was in Shock. Worried and Scared for Tommy.

At work the next day, I felt angry, sad, frustrated, and confused that Tommy, of all people had to be hurt.

Every break at work, I had to leave the office and go behind the Building.  Begging my new Attorney to help me.  The Boss pulled up and saw me walking back to the Office one time.  He asked if I was okay?  I just said, ”I took my break and got some fresh air.”

This new Lawyer helped me and sent a letter directing my Mortgage and it’s Subsidiary/Affiliated Entities and all of its Officer, Agents, and Employees to directly communicate with his Law Office only; relative to my real property.

The Authorization inculudes but is not limited to all forms of Communiction and includes, but is not limited to Communication concerning Loan Balances, Modifications, Extensions, Renewals, Proceedings in Bankruptcy.

I was almost at the end of my 4th month at my new job.  This outstanding Attorney, even though ill, had solved the issue!!!!

Even though, I was now once again three months behind on the Mortgage.  With relief of no Foreclosure in 90 days,  as long as, the money started coming into the Mortgage.

I was beyond rich right now.  I have been at my new Job for three months.  The Probation Period is over!  And now I’m waiting to get a compensation package.

My job was to call Las Vegas, Hawaii and all the States with fancy resort hotels.  Get past the gatekeepers and pitch our product on the phone.  Then set up an appointment with one of the four owners for them to close.  I was good on the phone and pleasant and kind sounding and every day I got a new one and passed it on.

Then I received a phone call while I was at work.  It was my Mortgage Company.

I went outside and excitedly told them I had found a full-time work.  And I could catch up on the three-month payments I was behind.  The lady on the phone said, ”Jillie you know something.”  And then she got quiet.  ”So, what it says here…..You have gone Bankruptcy.”

”What?” ME.  NO.  NO.  I have never filed for Bankruptcy.”   ”Well, there are two names on your Mortgage.  Yours and Nick.  Unfortunately, we cannot accept any payments while you are in Bankruptcy.”

”NO.  NO.  NO.  NO. I am not in Bankruptcy!   I have a Quit Claim Deed to the house.  I own the house!  I have never filed for Bankruptcy.  Nick has filed for Bankruptcy.

I hung up.  I had only been with my new job for one month.  I could not lose this job.  So I called Social Services – once again  –  begging for help.  They found me a Bankrupt Attorney who had been ill and has returned to work part time.