Just when I was starting to think that maybe people aren't always the worst, there’s this: Some dude in Odessa, TX posted a Craigslist ad seeking a homeless woman to take up residence in his home… in exchange for cooking, cleaning, and having sex with him whenever he wants it. Because, y’know, indentured servitude is still totally cool these days — in that really, ridiculously not cool kind of way.
The listing has since been deleted by the poster — but not before the Internet managed to immortalize it for all to shudder at. Jezebel has perhaps the most complete archive of it; as of late the evening of December 8, the listing was still up, and they managed to grab screen caps of pretty much the whole thing. The home itself looks like a house, rather than an apartment, and it seems relatively nice in its photos — except for all those terrifying terms that come along with it. Someone on Reddit also managed to catch it before it vanished, upload the listing’s description page to Imgur and posting it to the r/funny subreddit. Why r/funny? No idea; as one Redditor commented, it’s not at all funny and belongs in r/WTF. Are you ready for this? Here you go:
And in case the type is too small for you to see, here’s the full text, with a few of the most horrifying details bolded by yours truly for emphasis:
“I work in the oilfield (mid 20's) and have no time to date so I'm looking for a homeless girl that wants a place to stay. You do not need to work just cook clean and bedroom fun. I want someone I can chill with watch movies with and play PS4 with and gamer girls are a plus. You go from the streets to a big comfortable bed, hot bubble baths, and good food and a person to cuddle with on the couch. I want a girl to take to movies[,] walks in the park, and to share hot coco [sic] with when the winter comes. You must be drug free and willing to stay that way. I have a high sex drive and love to cuddle. If this sounds like something you would be willing to try please send a couple pics to prove you are real and put the word ‘Home’ in the title. You must swallow. I am real and it has been a little rainy lately, in fact it's raining right now and all weekend!! Any RACE is fine[,] under 25 preferred. Any older than that and you'll come with an attitude and blame me for your situation.....!! Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks[.]”
I don’t think I have to explain exactly what’s wrong with this, because everything is wrong with it. Homelessness is a huge issue in the United States, but this is not how you help solve the problem. This is how you take advantage of someone in a less fortunate position than yourself in order to gain control over them and probably (almost certainly) abuse them. Is it possible that it’s a “joke” or a hoax? Of course — but even if it is, that doesn’t make it any less awful (hence why I can’t understand why it got posted to r/funny on Reddit). Is it “funny” to think that someone out there might actually think it’s OK to do this to another person? Is it “funny” that people have used Craigslist to lure in homeless people and kill them? Because that stuff happens. And no. No, it is not funny. Not one bit.
I’m also fairly certain this Odessa listing is real. Jezebel’s Mark Shrayber did a reverse image search and couldn’t find any matches, which, he writes, “could suggest… that this is the apartment of an actual dude who wants to meet a woman down on her luck, and that really bums me out.” He’s spot on in his continuation:
“Not just because it’s gross and pathetic, but because it reinforces this horrifying notion that people who are less fortunate are a) garbage and will therefore do anything to be inside and b) that it’s OK to use the promise of shelter to manipulate people into having sex with you. Oh, and c) that a relationship in which one person has all the power is an acceptable arrangement that will allow for true love to blossom.”
This. So much this. Seriously, guys. WTF.
And even worse, although the listing has since been deleted, I’d be willing to be that there’s a high probability he’ll repost it once the furor has died down. After all, as Shrayber points out, he’s done it before. The earlier listing has also been deleted, but Shrayber managed to screencap it in all its horror before it went down. Highlights include:
- “I’m looking to find a homeless girl that wants an arranged relationship, for mutual benefit.”
- “Share my home and pose as my stay home girlfriend to the outside world.”
- “You will be expected to do light house work, and shopping, be taken on dates, picnics, long walks, cuddling under blankets with hot coco [sic] on cold snowy days, look after pets and keep the home while I’m at work, long hot bubble baths, and watching TV on big cumffy coutch [sic].”
- “Wardrobe will be supplied and hair and nails will be done regularly.”
So basically, you will be kept prisoner, allowed to leave the house only when this guy says you can, dressing as he wants you to, and providing whatever services he might require of you whenever he wants them. Because that's not at all disturbing and abusive.
I can only that no one will fall for this guy’s schemes, or that he’ll eventually get caught. I just hope he doesn’t hurt anyone before then.
Images: Craigslist; Imgur; Giphy
