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Frequently
Asked Questions
page 3 of 3
Where
is Becky’s mother?
During the making of this film, Becky’s mother lived in the
adjacent town of Martinez, Georgia. Although I interviewed Becky’s
mother extensively and many of her interviews were very powerful,
we decided to focus on Becky’s voice for the entire film.
How much is Becky’s mother involved
in her life?
Since Alan’s incarceration Becky’s mother has been there
100%. She is a daily part of Becky’s life on an emotional and
spiritual level. She provides childcare to the best of her ability
but she is not in good health and can’t really handle both
boys together. Financially she is unable to help Becky out as much
as she would like to. Her husband died leaving her with thousands
of dollars of debt and not enough to cover it all. She opened up
a little candle/soap store in town hoping she could cover the bills
but her business has recently gone out of business.
Why did Becky get evicted?
In the eviction notice that Becky reads at the conclusion of the
film, the family is being evicted because of their messy yard and
for running an electrical chord from their trailer over to Joyce’s
trailer. Becky ran an extension chord from her trailer over to Joyce’s
trailer because Joyce was unable to pay her electricity bill. Before
going up to New Hampshire Becky unplugged the chord because she
didn’t want to leave it connected for safety reasons. Evidently
somebody reconnected the chord during Becky’s absence and the
landlord found out.
Where did the family go after they were
evicted?
Becky and the boys moved in with her mother once they were evicted
from their trailer. Recently Becky and the boys moved into their
own rental home in the neighboring state of South Carolina. The
county where they currently live is known for their alternative
schools, an aspect Becky feels very strongly about.
Why didn’t Becky and the boys visit
Alan the following summer?
The van had a broken axel and Becky couldn’t afford to fix
it. Flying to New Hampshire would have been too expensive so they
reluctantly decided to forego the visit.
How much does Becky pay to rent the trailer?
$175.00 a month.
What is Becky’s education level?
Becky completed the 10th grade.
What’s wrong with Becky’s leg?
Becky has a degenerative knee disorder caused by an accident she
had when she was a high school student. She wears the range of motion
leg brace to keep her leg from “bending” improperly. The
leg brace maintains a specific angle and a specific pressure on
her knee. From time to time she walks without the brace, but pays
the consequences at the end of the day.
What type of social services do Becky and
the boys receive?
Becky receives assistance from social security (SSI). But this “income”
makes them ineligible for food stamps and other social services.
Is Becky currently working with a social
worker?
No, because they tried to take her children away. According to Becky,
the social service agency believed something was wrong with her
for encouraging a relationship between the boys and their father,
a prison inmate. The last time Becky worked with a social worker
she was forced into a mental health treatment program at the local
state hospital and suffered a nervous breakdown.
Why do the boys sleep in the living room?
The family only had one air conditioner and it was in the living
room. The rest of the house was blocked off to keep the cool air
within the common living area. Consequently the rest of the trailer
was VERY HOT. During the filming, the average daytime temperature
in Augusta, Georgia was approximately 100 degrees.
Why is Donnie so over-weight?
Donnie suffers from depression as well as a host of other mental
and physical disorders. The medications Donnie takes slows down
his metabolism and cause him to gain weight at a much faster rate
than normal. To compound his problem, the family’s diet is
not well balanced. Many meals come from a box and contain an inordinate
amount of salt, carbohydrates, and additives. A low metabolism coupled
with a diet high in fat, sugar, and starch is a perfect formula
for a teenager to become obese.
How close are the children to Alan?
They are very close to him. Donnie is closer because he has the
ability to feel typical emotion and bonding. Joshua, due to his
Fragile X Syndrome, lacks the ability for bonding but it’s
clear that he loves his daddy. Alan's absence has the biggest impact
on Donnie, who at 13 years old can easily be moved to tears when
talking about his daddy and how he wants him to come home.
Are Donnie and Joshua going to public school?
Both children are in public school but in self-contained special
education classrooms (EBD). During the making of this film, Donnie
was going into the 6th grade and Joshua was going into the 3rd grade.
How did the children react to the fact that
their father was in prison?
For Donnie it went from shock to sheer depression. Joshua needed
some time to adjust because he didn't quite understand why his daddy
wouldn’t be coming home anymore. Both kids vented in serious
ways, Donnie with psychosis and depression and Josh with severe
behavior problems.
Does Becky plan on telling the children
about Alan’s crime when they are old enough to understand?
Donnie will be told about the nature of the crime when he is mature
enough to handle the facts. Joshua will not be told simply because
he has no boundaries and would cause himself and his brother to
be ridiculed by telling everyone in his path about their father’s
crime. Becky felt in was important for the boys to know that their
father did do something bad, that it was alcohol related, and that
he broke the law.
What is Joyce and Malcolm’s story?
Joyce
and Malcolm lived a couple of trailers away from Becky and the boys.
Joyce has four children ranging in age from 11 to 19. At the time
of filming, her husband Bruce was being held in the county jail
on a parole violation.
How did Joyce and Malcolm get into visit
Alan?
Due to Becky’s physical disability, she was able to get special
permission for Joyce to enter the prison by claiming her as a personal
attendant. Malcolm was allowed into the prison with Joyce because
he could not be left at home alone and therefore was placed on Alan’s
visitation list. The New Hampshire State Penitentiary was actually
very helpful in Becky’s case.
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