Gerald Blaskovich, Age 49

I went to Olney High School. But I didn’t actually graduate there. I went in the marines instead, July of ’73, 4 years active duty. I’m a Vietnam era veteran, but I only saw it from on board ship, evacuating people in April of ’75. Right after that I got a job at the post office. I was a mail handler at the Philadelphia Bulk Mail Center Post Office. I had 27 years in, but I was only 48. They offered early retirement. So I took the opportunity. It was a good move on my part because I was able to hang out with my kids. I’m tired of driving a fork lift and just throwing mail bags around. That was a good job though. It was just time to move on.

In 2000. I was charged with a simple assault charge. Me and my wife had a nasty little fight. I was taken to jail. I shouldn’t have been drinking. I got 4 years probation. I would have been done this year October of 2005. I had a parole officer who was taking an interest in my life because my wife had died suddenly in 2002. So I was left with my boys. Everything was cool. But back in January,2004, I got in a little bit of trouble at work due to alcohol again. I got a little frustrated. I sort of got an attitude problem with the probation officer. That’s what ended me up where I am now. I came up with a few hot urines for smoking marijuana because I was frustrated. I just threw my hands up and said the heck with it all. I was trying my best. I was involved in AA and everything. Everybody just seemed to be beating me down all the time, including family members. I was worried all the time. I was totally stressed out. My face was broken out in a mess. I felt horrible. I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I had gone to court and the judge, “I know you know better. I know about your boys. I know your whole story. You came up hot anyway after I just talked to you 2 months ago. I’m revoking your probation and you’re going up.

It was almost a relief because I was so stressed out. I didn’t like it, but I made the best of my time. I thought I did pretty well and I feel great. I did a little soul searching. I sought out the chaplins to deal with my grieving from my wife, because I never really had done that. The first year she died all I did was make sure my kids were in school. We did soccer and everything else. I just stuck right in there. I didn’t have time for myself. The second year is when I kind of went off the edge.

Excellent, thumbs up. If anybody wants to do it and puts the effort in, it’s great. Some of the fellows trying to do an application or a resume, and they’re like what do you mean. I’ve been in jail for the last 10 years. I’m 26 years old or I’m 39 and I never had a job in my life. They would be quite creative. I was a pharmaceutical supplier at 8th and Butler and stuff like that. Well you can’t put that on a resume. Didn’t you ever work at McDonalds or deliver papers or something? Anything? They’re like, no. I was never around anything like that. Some people have burnt their brains from doing drugs. A lot of child support stuff. I think they get a raw deal if you ask me, being thrown in jail. How you supposed to pay your child support when you get tossed in the klink.