Somewhat desperate and definitely down on her luck, Jesse Dragonheart recently shelled out 10 bucks — a substantial chunk of change from her purse — to place an unusual "help wanted" ad in the Ogden-area Big Nickel.
NEEDED: RELIABLE Car with heater, aesthetics unimportant, here's the catch, it has to be free, if you have a car you are willing to donate to a financially pressed student, please call Jesse, 801-710-8230.
The response?
Underwhelming.
A reporter, wanting to know how many rusty 1973 Pintos she ended up receiving, was the only person to respond.
"I fully expected somebody to call. I figured it would be worth a shot," she said. "The Bible says, 'You have not because you ask not.' So I asked."
The ad has since expired, but her offer still remains. If you have a car you are willing to donate, this financially pressed student will gladly, appreciatively and humbly take it out of your garage.
Then maybe she can drive and pick up the food assistance she qualifies for at the Catholic Community Center . . . and get to school from her North Ogden residence without wasting three hours on a bus that takes the scenic route to Weber State . . . and go grocery shopping without it being a major ordeal . . . and have the means to find a job or even be able to show up for the interview.
In return, you get warm fuzzies and extra storage space.
Life was good for Dragonheart a couple of years ago. Back then, she had a job as a credit analyst, and a place and transportation of her own. To sum up her misfortune: The economy took a dive, she lost her job and house and began financially drowning in a pool of unpaid bills.
Now she lives in a friend's basement, rent-free, thankfully, and barely scrapes by on food stamps and a low-paying part-time position while pursuing a teaching certificate.
"I lost everything," she said. "I don't spend much time bemoaning it 'cause I have a life to live. . . . I've worked my way out of welfare before, and I'll do it again."
Since she clears only $400 a month through a federally funded program at the Weber County Library, Dragonheart has been looking for a job that will help her get through these tough times.
She had an interview set up in Davis County, but the closest bus stop was about two miles away. She had to cancel.
"It really broke my heart," she said.
That's why she decided to buy the ad. And ask. Her life would be less heartbreaking and more productive, she believes, if it included a vehicle. Any vehicle, really. She's not picky. She'd be delighted with "a clunker with a heater and four good tires."
Dragonheart knows some people might think it odd she's asking for a freebie since people often don't do it so publicly. She's also aware some might think she's trying to pull a fast one or a scam. But she wants skeptics to know her motives are sincere, not sinister. She just hopes for a set of wheels, nothing more.
"If I was running a con," she said, "I'd be after a PT Cruiser."
She'll still take one, of course. Well, as long as it has a heater and four good tires.
E-mail: jody@desnews.com