The Crisis.

To maintain the forest mountain is too costly.

In about 5 years you saw your dreamed accomplishments crushed like a bubble one after another. The properties like San Gabriel commercial and Glendale residential were in the hand of other people. To retreat to the last strong hold, we decided to change the big house to smaller one which was less than half size of our mountain resort-Glendale million dollars home. That were a big shock to every member of the family.

Mari was not happy about it but maintained supportive with life changes.Kids were grown up adults with understanding and trying to help but not much they could do to assist their aging parents. They had their future ahead of them to meet their challenges.

In 1999 I made a trip to Taiwan to visit my friends. I did not ask any favor but enjoyed warmest hospitalities. In the trip, I found there was a small light at the end of the tunnel.

The new medicine that could save me from liver transplantation. Epivir were still not available at that time in Taiwan and Alan checked with their Hongkong office with good news.

When I came back to Muir Lodge, I found most of our fortune were exhausted. With the sales record hit the all time low we could barely make both ends meet.

That was like 7 degree strong earth quake. The tremor were so strong that might destroy the last foundation of our family.You still had to pay the mortgage $3000 a month plus $2000 for the house in Fullerton.

I talked to Marco in Tokyo and asked what he would do if he were me.
"Sell it" the reply was simple and firm exactly what I had in mind.

Yet, if you were in the shoes of those credit debt slaves you would understand how desperate they were to borrow money from credit card companies. 10~19% interests would squeeze them hardly breathing.

In the States, the law has no mercy. If you do not pay your mortgage in time, the late payment will be charged 5% more. If 3 months none payment in a row, you would end up the propert with foreclosure. In that case you will have nothing left.

Very cruel society. I even asked the note holder-George A Huber trying to understand the situation and consider low down the high interests. You know what. He was a doctor degree preacher used to practice preaching in Santa Monica. "Sorry, Michael, I got my bill to pay and if you do not pay mortgage in time I 'd have to foreclose the property." "I talked to the bank even they said the rate was ridiculous high. If its bank loan we will consider giving the rate cut to 8%."

"Sorry to say, then you better go the bank." I was so angry that I almost going to call his name.
So Marco rushed back Fullerton home to help arrange the sale from Tokyo.

In the meantime, I started borrowing $20,000 from credit card. In order not to make late payment, I sold Mari's Lexes car and even my 30 years dimond Rolex.

That was a CRISIS.