Foreigner On My Own Front Porch: A Satirical Memoir

by Travis Casey

There’s only one thing to do when people around you are having heart attacks, being threatened with deportation, suffering manic attacks of epic proportions, breaking promises, or missing Greyhound buses… Simply go with the flow and write a book about it.

Leaving England and moving to America, novelist Travis Casey and his British wife move in with his parents to help them with life in general during their advancing years. Having developed a greater understanding of his former country, Casey continues his observations of what has changed over the past two decades and tells of the drama of living with aging parents in his own humorous way.

And when bureaucrats are put between an act of nobility and common sense, things are bound to become complicated. As he and Wendy endeavor to make life easier for their loved ones, they battle with immigration rules, trips to the hospital become a matter of routine, and a boy and his truck are on their way from California to join them; All this while Travis struggles with the ‘New’ America.

181 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2014

About the author

If you are looking for hot alpha males with no fear of anything, a virgin love interest, and a few billion in the bank; may I suggest the next aisle over where you’ll also find the blindfolded bodice-rippers.

If you are looking for an author who writes safe and tip toes around sensitive issues, perhaps you should look in the “I keep a tight rein on my characters and never let them speak their mind without censorship” section.

If, like I, you subscribe to the Truman Capote philosophy “You can’t blame a writer for what the characters say,” then I have some great fiction for you.

Hi, I'm Travis. I am a beach read writer and in-print entertainer. That means I write fun books. The topics and content may be highly charged with what may be considered politically incorrect these days, but what fun is life if we can't laugh.

Here are some of my favorite lines from reviews I have received. (And they are not all 5-star “I'm the greatest writer ever.”)

* Travis Casey is a writer who takes chances. In this political satire, he hits on controversial topics. I laughed and shook my head as political correctness took a giant leap out the window. – The Mayor’s Race

* When first reading this book, I absolutely loathed it, until I realized that it was really the character, Mr. Hightower, that I hated rather than the book. To make someone hate a character as much as I despised this one is a rare talent. He is a misogynistic narcissist with a knack for gaslighting that cheats on his wife with a former student and still looks down upon others for drinking any sort of alcohol, having a job in the sex industry, and swearing of any sort. –No Halo Required

* This book will make you chuckle at the characters' antics while simultaneously wanting to scream with aggravation when they do something particularly foolish. The ratio of romance to adventure skews in favor of adventure, and it makes for an exciting story with just enough flirting to be fun. With its clever conversations, strong plot, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this book is worth reading! – Southern Harm

* What makes a man fall completely head over heels in love? Well, we get to see why in this amazing book told in a male's POV. This book was beautifully written with a strong voice, a great blend of love and drama. The dialog was witty and hilarious, the characters fascinating and funny. – Forbidden Trouble

* Wow, reading this book was a hilarious, thrilling voyage! The witty, raw humor in this book draws you in right away and doesn't fail to keep you entertained for the whole ride. There was more than one time I found myself laughing out loud – Oceans of Trouble

* I am speechless about the book. Too many themes running at the same time -deceit, guilt, lust, infatuation, backstabbing, etc, etc. – Trouble Triangle

A dual citizen of America and Britain, I currently live in Minnesota with my British wife and two Shih Tzu/Bichon crosses, Shelby and Sia

Reviews

[Kellie Aldrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foreigner On My Own Front Porch: An American Memoir by Travis Casey is a humorous and entertaining read! It pulled me in right from the start. The author's anecdotes and experiences were real and relatable. Some of my favorite parts are where he talks about Minnesota, as half of my family is from there, making everything even more relevant for me. I have found that this author has other published novels as well and I can't wait to check them out!

[Linda Hawkswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous and entertaining
Having read Foreigner in my own back yard I was intrigued to follow Travis and Wendy´s adventures.

Having moved temporarily to Minnesota to care for his aging parents, a Mum and Dad that do not want to be looked after or do they deem it necessary as they value their independence. Looking after one ailing parent is bad enough but two, especially two that try to fight you every step of the way, must be a nightmare.

Dad with virtually no peripheral vision insists that he is still capable to drive and attempts to at any given opportunity. These are not without their problems and they soon persuade him to be be chauffeured, that is until he receives a request to attend an eye test pending his 80th Birthday. He is elated when he passes and is informed that he can continue to drive. No stopping him now.

Mum (who is being treated for Alzheimer´s disease) has such faith in her Dr that she refuses to change, even when they find out that she has been seriously over medicated to the extent that she is poisoning her system. When she starts having convulsions and is taken to the local ER Travis insists that her medications are looked at, the culprit is eliminated and other meds are reduced. Within days they notice an improvement in her condition,

After 22 years of living in the UK he makes many observations about the differences between life in the US and the UK become more and more disillusioned with America and yearning for his life back in England.

Seeking Government help as Wendy´s visa is about to expire, no matter where they go or what they do they come up against a brick wall. Eventually after a face to face meeting they realise that if they hop over the border to Canada then back again ´It Should Work´ so she can gain an extension to her visa. As with everything else in their lives nothing is simple and straight forward. Fortunately for them on the way back onto American soil they encounter a pleasant Officer in Charge who sends them on their way, not without a light humored warning.

If looking after the parents is not enough to contented with, Paul (Wendy´s youngest from a previous relationship) enters the frame. The problems of transporting his truck and him to Minnesota bring all sorts of fraught situations.

Travis is a talented writer in the way he portrays his life and family. Once again his subtle and underlying humor shows throughout the book. This is a must read, thank you once again Travis.

[Carol Rode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

I read the first book and now finished his second on his story of his parents. Both are great books. I forgot to review the first book, that was a wonderful book and all the facts about the way America works was really interesting and very upsetting. I hate what is happening to this country. He talks a lot about the difference between US and the UK. Anyway I wish the book was a bit longer so we could have seen what happened to his parents and going back to the UK. I wonder if there will be a third to this series. I really enjoyed both the books and wish there were more books out there telling of their lives with a funny humor so we could all laugh and know we probably did that or been there too. Travis Casey is a great writer in the way he portrays his life and family. His humor shows through although at the time I don't think it was funny when it happen to him. A must read book. Thanks Travis for your life story, hope there is more .

[Tatiana Lammers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a foreigner in the US myself, I was looking for a fun book what it is like to be a foreigner in the States and to "compare notes". I found the book lacking humor and was bored at times. Sorry. Not sorry.

[IMHO · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECOMMENDED

I enjoyed Travis Casey's "Foreigner On My Own Front Porch", the second book of his personal
story of his return to the U.S. after living in the UK for 22 years.

[Esther Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearty & Funny

A life saga journey with lots of fun humor. Really enjoyed this book & I highly recommend for a light read

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Math: Two elderly parents are four times harder to care for than one elderly parent.

This is the continuing saga of an American who's spent most of his adult life in England. He's temporarily moved to Minnesota to care for his elderly parents. The parents tried living with their daughter in Florida, but wanted to return to their own home. Daughter doesn't think they can cope on their own, so Son (and wife) decide to spend a year in the U.S. to improve their own floundering financial situation and to see the old folks peacefully into their graves. There are two problems. First, the parents don't WANT to be looked after. Second, they're just turning 80 and look like they're good for another decade, maybe two.

It's rare for people to be involved in caring for TWO parents, as opposed to a single, widowed parent. I used to think that adult children simply refuse to get involved as long as both parents are alive, expecting them to look after each other. This book made me realize that there's more to it.

Perhaps as long as both partners are alive, they see old age as a temporary inconvenience. Perhaps the death of one convinces the widow(er) that this is a permanent situation and that adjustments must be made. Perhaps men have a harder time relinquishing control to their adult children. Or maybe this author's parents are just exceptionally stubborn. I LOVED caring for my Mom in her old age, but I would have throttled these two.

The younger couple's efforts appear to have had minimal impact. Dad (with no peripheral vision) still drives. Mom refuses to change doctors, even after gross over-medication sends her to the ER. The son seems slow to act. Several people warned him that his mother's med list was outrageous and probably the cause of many of her difficulties, but it wasn't until she went into convulsions that he insisted on changes. He sheepishly admits that he "hadn't gotten around to it."

God knows, he has plenty on his plate. He's working part time and writing and marketing the books that he hopes will provide a living wage. His wife's INS status is iffy and fruitless hours are spent trying to make sense of it. Her always-in-crisis son (and his vehicle) must be brought from the West Coast and that eats up time and money and energy. But I think the biggest problem is that (while he and his parents unquestionably love each other) there's been very little contact for several decades. Care-giving works best when the adult child has been closely involved in the parent's life BEFORE the time for care-giving arrives.

As for viewing care-giving as a brief interlude, a person who makes it past 75 is just as likely to live another twenty years and frailty is no indication of potential life span. Doctors (usually happy to make sweeping statements) get very cagey when asked how long an elderly person has left. Even the deeply devout (and his parents certainly qualify) are in no hurry to depart and many a frail old patient outlives his doctor. So now the author and his wife must decide if they return to England or stay in the U.S.

He makes some interesting observations about the differences between life in the U.S. and in Merrie Old England (dressing, drinking, golf, etc.) He continues to become more and more disillusioned with American pull-out-all-the-stops medical care. He says that our lawsuit-happy culture leads to over-testing and over-medication. He's right, of course. He's dissatisfied with American politics. A Reagan Republican, he wishes the Tea Party would stir their stumps and whip the rest of us into shape. How his all-over-the-board political views will fly with litmus-testing neocons is another matter.

He's no Bill Bryson, but it's a good story and a thought-provoking one. I've bought two of his books and I hope there'll be a third in the series. I have a feeling his parents will be around to provide him with lots more material.

[Ks Donn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sequel. This book gives great insight into how America has changed through the eyes of an American who now sees himself as a foreigner. A very funny read.