The other day I read the Christmas 2002 thread in which someone described Polycarp’s problems and in which the Straight Dope readers ended up giving him a computer and mucho help with his financial difficulties. I had a big lump in my throat by the time I got to the end of the thread. Wow.
Question 1: Anyway, how are things going now for you, Polycarp? Better, I hope?
Also mentioned in the thread was another person, never by name, whose problems appeared to be even worse than Polycarp’s.
Question 2: Could whoever was trying to organize a rescue effort for that person fill us in on how things are going?
I realize that these are nosy questions, but if you don’t mind feeding my engineer’s desire for closure, I’d like to know…
Whatever was solved, Poly is never around as much as he should be.
Polycarp, thanks in great measure to the generosity and kindness of the folks on this board, is managing. Still no permanent job, but last month I finished four weeks of a records-management temp. job (supposed to last two days, but we showed them what was needed to do it right and they extended it), and I leave tonight for a week’s worth of work with an ex-boss back in my home town. We have a car, paid for by a Doper couple, a computer given by another ex-Doper couple and a monitor courtesy of yet another Doper. Our rent is current and our bills are not unmanageable.
Life is good. And you all are a big part of why that’s so. {{{all Dopers}}}
As for the mysterious other party, I know the problems there are beyond what this board can handle, and that there are excellent reasons why the situation is kept mysterious on open board, as opposed to e-mail. I also know that we all owe the Mystery Doper a great, great deal with regard to having a board at all, and that there’s still a major need there. Anyone who wants to help or wants more information before deciding whether to help can contact Scotticher@aol.com – as she did for me, she’s coordinating efforts for that person, and privileged to share details off the board.