Review of the Poppen Disaster

In 2004 I received a call from a friend at a rental agency that some Americans were having a difficult time with charge backs because of a lack of care given to tenants by their live in caretaker. This caretaker had also blown the transmission in their water truck even cracking the case. He was also driving their ATV’s the 25 miles to the Playa Bonita area for his personal use. To help them out I approached then with the attitude of resolving their problem. Since I was to have either Alejandro or George and his wife as assistants I agreed to take charge of getting their property running efficiently without charge backs from the renters for a contract rate of $200 per week contract for remodeling. I fixed and had welded the water trucks transmission. Next when Alejandro would not function I made the best agreement possible and removed him. David then wanting a live in caretaker hired George and his gal friend. After a short period David realized George was not working out so I made arrangements to relieve him on. I then without any increase in my expenses, meaning for the same $200 a week, I took on the responsibility to do it all. I would often take with me workers that were making $600 pesos per day to help me at no extra charge. This meant daily trips and with the air-conditioner running 3 trips per day. In a weeks’ time this would be as many as 21 trips. Just the gas alone for these trips was in excess of $200 per week, because I do not have the help I had when the $200 a week was agreed to.

David explained to me that he was having some trouble with one of his Prime Cut Meat and Seafood’s processing plants; therefore, he was closing the Oregon branch and could I help him out financially by taking some items from him and apply the value toward his bill with me. I said I would and took the value of the items at the price he asked. He also said it would help him if I could wait for the title for the Ford pickup because it would also help if he could continue making the payments. I did this even though the license was good until July 2009 meaning I could not license or drive legally for 6 months. I was promised the ownership paperwork for the two golf carts I accepted. Because of the financial difficulties caused by David Poppens not paying my for 21 months as agreed I had to sell the golf carts for $800 dollars instead of the value formally agreed because I did not have the paperwork promised.

I used my experience as a chemist to keep their batteries working years beyond their normal life period because of their alleged financial hardship. I was told that a battery salesman told them when they were buying the acid not to do this but buy new batteries so they have spent thousands in work in the generator room. While this new person was standing on their back porch he said, “He did not want to upset me.” Their answer to him was, “They would take care of me.” Taking care of me is paying my back bill because the financial hardship is over and I started putting it together. That has been received with such abuse that as a last effort I am writing this letter. Linda Poppens told me I should have bought them new batteries when they had not paid me as agreed for what I had done. That would have increased their bill to me by thousands of dollars.

David and Linda said many times that they wanted another live in person to do the little things like the daily sweeping of porches and raking of the sand etc. Poncho when he started to work was to do the same and give me some relief. Linda not remembering the original agreement when Alejandro and George worked and she wrote on her email that she was surprised David was paying him.

It is true I bought the $2750 trailer originally for an office as Linda wrote; however I did not use it for that purpose instead I loaned it to the Poppen’s for free to cut the costs of having a live in worker there during the extreme heat of the summer. The Poppen’s larger trailer was not insulated and instead of running on battery power like my small trailer, it would have needed the generator running to keep it cool for the worker Pancho Marino.

Linda and David Poppens said their further financial hardship was caused by their vacation plans they needed to buy a new 125,000 motor home and a new Lincoln Continental automobile to drive.

Now I am going to publish on the internet webpage I posted for them for free just exactly what type of people I was dealing with. I sent the internet to the sand castle from my house using a sophisticated antenna system for them and their clients. They stole all the equipment and the antenna system.

I installed and paid for a TelMex telephone line so they could communicate with their son at the xxx meat plant in phoenix. During the 21 months they incurred a $960 dollar phone bill I had to pay.

Often during the summer hot months the city was out of water and would not fill their water truck so their clients at the Sand Castle would have water. I then took it upon myself at my expense to dig a reservoir at my house so the Sand Castle would never run out water for the renters.

When I take the responsibility to accomplish a task in my life I give it a 200% effort so I accomplish successfully the task I set out to accomplish even if it takes more of an effort than I have been paid for. This is why I installed the web page for free, installed a water well at my house for free, installed the internet antennas and equipment and a telephone at my expense for free. I also loaned them my trailer for free that they did not return. During this time when they were charging the renters extra for air conditioning and weddings that increased my responsibilities they gave me no extra. For the internet web page I even flew my airplane over the Castle for free for better pictures.

Respectfully

Sherman Smith