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If you need to contact me, the best way is through the eBay message system. You can also contact me in writing at:

978michaeln

ATTN: Michael Noonan

32 Jackson Ave.

Fitchburg, MA 01420

Or by phone at (978)400-5853 (home) or (978)790-8501 (cell).

Who Is 978michaeln

I’ve thought long and hard about how to use this page to best tell you (the eBay community) who 978michaeln is. I’ve concluded that the best way to present 978micheln to you is to tell you about my family, which, in turn, will give you an idea about the type of person I am.

Nearly 10 years ago I met a mother and 4 children. They were homeless. The youngest was less than a year old and the oldest was almost 6 years old. At the time, I was a full time student living in a rooming house. I didn’t have much but what little I did have I sold and purchased a 17 foot camper, which I placed at a seasonal camp called Crystal Springs in Bolton, MA. (the campground has since closed to make room for condos) I couldn’t afford my rent at the rooming house and the campground, so I moved out of the rooming house and into the trailer with this family. It was tight quarters – two adults and 4 children in a 17 foot camper. Being a full time student I depended on federal work studies to earn money. It wasn’t much and our weekly groceries consisted of value packs of hot dogs and bread. In fact, we spent more on diapers than food.

As I lived with this family, it became apparent that the mother had some issues with self image. I noticed that she had several external tumor growths in conspicuous places and it wasn’t long before I learned that the whole family had a disease called neurofibromatosis.  Although the disease affects motor skills and learning abilities, the worst affect for those who live with the disease is the blow it serves to self esteem. The disease is a progressive disease it manifests itself  in the form of tumors that grow on the outside of the body.

I’d be lying if I told you that I never thought about leaving them to fend for themselves - especially in those early years – but having come from a family that gave up on me when I was just a boy, I could relate to the needs of this family. Although the children were too young to mull over complex issues, the mother was clearly struggling with the prospect of living without companionship. I grew up feeling unwanted and the shame that those feelings created within me impacted my quality of life for 30 years. I knew this mother of 4 felt as I had for most of my life.

It was difficult not to become attached to the children. They were innocent and anybody who has had this many children so close in age knows that they are much like a litter of kittens. When you sit, they crowd around you looking for comfort and they play close by. When they perceive danger, they dash back to your side looking for assurance that all is well.

Well, one thing led to another and, after 6 months in the campground, we all moved into an apartment together. The apartment was mandatory because the oldest couldn’t be enrolled in school without a permanent address. In my mind, I was still thinking it was temporary. I was just trying to help this woman get on her feet, at which point I was going to go my own way. Heck, I wasn’t father material. Why, do you think, I didn’t have kids of my own.

One by one the younger kids were introduced to pre-school programs and eventually, within a few years, school. By then, I was the only father they’d ever known. But more importantly, I had become an anchor in their lives. The schools would call and speak to me about the learning disabilities caused by the neurofibromatosis and it dawned on me one day that these folks viewed me as a primary care giver. Well, that realization came with a wave of shame because I had always planned to move on.

Nearly 10 years later I’m still with this family. They grew on me and transformed my life in imperceptible ways. I’ve learned that the rewards of raising a family are far greater than the costs. Sure, I may have to mortgage my life to put food on the table, but at the end of a day, a kid who doesn’t know the effects and stresses of inflation, does understand the value of  feeling wanted and appreciated. Even if  their developing minds can’t comprehend the psychology of it all, they none-the-less do see, hear and contemplate. They're little people.

Well, that’s my story in a nutshell. I’m a father of 4 and I never sired a child. I’m a companion and never proactively sought companionship. But most importantly, I am no longer a person who is shackled to the past, but rather, tethered to the future. That being said, I must also clarify that although throughout this about me story  I’ve  referred to 978michaeln in the first person, 978michaeln is actually a we – Michael, Jennifer, Ashleigh, Samantha, Lindsey and Jaysen. And we thank all of you eBay members who’ve help us build an eBay business, because, without all of you, we might still be living in a campground.