Concerning the guest editorial by Pam Rigdon (TW 1/06) questioning the reporting and interviewing skills of Tacoma Weekly and the facts of "Un-repaid loan prompts 'Santa' to picket former boss" (TW 12/16), I would say this woman was dropped on her head one too many times as a child, but I will not because that would be insulting to those people with head injuries.
I will stick to the facts of the matter, which is something Rigdon and Tucker Adult Family Home, with all their lies and innuendos, have not been able to do. I also would highly encourage Tacoma Weekly to do a more in-depth, follow-up interview with myself and Tucker Homes to clear up any question of bias in the original article.
Shirley Tucker, owner/president of Tucker Adult Family Homes and my former boss, knew I was refinancing my home when she originally asked me to loan her $10,000 for her business. I told her I could not do that, it was half the money I was getting, so she asked for $5,000 and I agreed. Then a few days later, Tucker asked me frantically if I had $4,000 because the electricity was going to be shut off to her four adult homes. Reluctantly, I agreed to loan her the additional money. There is no question I loaned Tucker Adult Family Homes $5,000 and $4,000 in December 2009 after refinancing my home. The $5,000 loan was to be paid starting Jan. 1, 2010. Five equal payments of $1,000 for five months with one additional payment of $1,000, for interest. The loan was to be paid in full June 1, 2010. The $4,000 loan was to be paid back in one lump sum on Jan. 1, 2010. After the second loan of $4,000, I did agree that the $5,000 loan could begin being paid Feb. 1 with final payment moved to July 1, 2010. At the time, Tucker said to me "John, I know this sounds like lots of thousands of dollars to you, but it is not to me. I will pay you back right away and with interest!"
On the first of January, I received a $1,000 payment with Tucker saying that was all she could pay and that she would make up the payment the next month. The next month she made a $500 payment. After that, payments where intermittent at best until October 2010 when Tucker broke her leg and Rigdon's son came in to run the company. He started to make regular payments until the time when Tucker came back home and payments became intermittent again.
That brings us to Sept. 2, 2011, the very day when I got to work and pulled the supervisor off to the side and told her if I come in and a particular gentleman was soiled again I would report it to Adult Protective Services. I was fired later that day. Then I asked about the money she owes me, and she said she would honor the original agreement and pay the $1,000 per month and write up a promissory note, which she never signed. Tucker made a $1,000 payment on Oct. 1, 2011.
Her grandson told me to "go get the payment" on Nov. 1. That is when I went to get the payment with my teenage daughter and a friend. Upon arriving, Tucker called the police. I called the police as well.
They came but did not do anything except ask me to leave.
Thanks for the tremendous amount of support from the residents of Tucker Adults Family Homes and from family and friends.
John Zawacki is a Tacoma resident.
(Editor's note: Zawacki has been protesting in front of Tucker Adult Family Homes while wearing a Santa suit because of the unpaid loan.)
