Our son has a learning disability (due to being born premature and having a collapsed lung). Despite the many surgeries he endured, the many physical and mental limitations, and due to the extensive rehabilitation plus special needs education.... Travis has become a contributing member of society. Despite being on Social Security Disability, he works part time at Walmart and tries to live his life as best as he can without depending on others. He is a strong young man who is loved by his community, friends and family (and ALWAYS has a smile on this face).

We try to protect him while doing our best to not be helicopter parents. Occasioanlly tho, some people try to take advantage of him and it is the latest example that has really upset his mother and I.

This past week, a neighbor came over and asked Travis to help him with a yard project. After it being discussed by Travis, his mother and I.... we agreed to it as it would give Travis the opportunity to learn about yard work and so he could earn a few dollars so he could enjoy his occasional evenings with his friends going to different places (he would earn $200 to clear a 16x16 area of grass, level the dirt, and help unload gravel from a truck bed over that area on Wednesday through Friday - as this was going to be where the neighbor put a new shed).

Travis then spent the over 12 hours removing grass from a 16 x 16 area and leveling it Wednesday afternoon and much of Thursday for the neighbor  Despite Travis' learning disability, the neighbor had Travis water that area Wednesday afternoon (making the area very wet) and had Travis use a electric Reciprocating Saw to cut lines in order to roll up grass and then even out the area. Problem is, the grass is dense and the roots go down almost 6 inches and Travis has NEVER used an electric saw... let alone having him use the saw for something it shouldn't be used for (and he left Trav unsupervised once showing him the half a**'d way to get rid of grass).

So I interceded on Thursday morning when I saw Trav struggling...... I disconnected the saw from the power outlet that is not wired correctly and is a danger, and spent over 2 hours showing Travis how to use a shovel to dig deep enough to get the grass out roots and all and Travis even got the clumps off in order for the soil would stay in the area. Once Travis got going in a grid pattern, he knocked it out in 8 hours. When the neighbor got home from work (after his wife wrecked his car in front of that house), he told Trav what a great job he did.

When Travis went to do the gravel, the neighbor asked him to wait as the area was flooded the previous evening when the neighbor left the hose on all night (making the area a muddy pit). Travis then waited on Friday all day to help pour gravel from the neighbor's truck (the thing is, the neighbor took off on his motorcycle and was gone all day... and yet Trav waited the entire day in the living room looking across the street waited for the guy to come back to start the work). As of Friday nite, Travis would no longer be available to help on the gravel for 3 days due to Travis' schedule. When Travis went to see his girlfriend yesterday afternoon, he saw the neighbor start on the gravel with someone else (but the guy didn't communicate with Travis at anytime on Friday or Saturday what was happening).

This morning, the guy tells Trav to his face (in front of my wife) that he would get $20 instead because he did it all wrong (that Trav did it my way instead of the neighbor's way). My wife and I are so upset, that we are seeing red. I am inclined to tell the guy to keep his money, to find religion for that cold heart of his, and to ask forgiveness to whatever deity he worships. In the meantime, I will be selling items on ebay to raise funds to make up for the neighbor's scroogelike behavior. I am also starting this fundraiser to see if I can raise the money $1 at a time from people who have a larger heart than that neighbor.

When we gather up $200, we will give the money to Travis as he worked hard for that money and deserves it.