true story or not

They were that 1980's poor it just had to be true. I think they were really from Texas though not Arkansas. The reason I know is because I met the real family once. It was about the same time period as the movie portrayed. It was somewhere in the mid 80's. God where they ever loving poor like they portrayed them in the movie. It was just like the movie, I couldn't help but stop and stare at them completely withdrawn. I just couldn't get over what I was seeing. Maybe it was me and maybe it's because I was bitch then who was rich, but I had just never seen anything like that. They were so incredibly poor, and dirty and lost. They were also very un well mannered and very rude. They had no social decency. The kids were very loud and they were very poor as well to. I'll never forget the mother. She was in her 20's looking at me, she was p regnant btw with another on the way and had a boyfriend who was a peace of *beep* and a loser to. Even there one of the kids got spanked by him. I never really could take my eyes off it. I guess its because I never saw it. Poor...that what it was. 1980's poor. Always a guilty pleasure of mine standing by from afar and making fun of them privately in my head. They talked real stupid and poor and seemed to have their own language.

I believe where they moved to was really Illinois. Not Iowa like the movie said. I remember because I moved there to around the same time and some what ran into them again. I want to say it was around the crystal lake area. The mom just got a house on wel fare. It was pretty different time then it is today, but again all the same.

I think their hygiene and the fact they were so poor separated them from the rest of the world.

I never went into their house ever really spoke to them or said anything. I just heard those things thru word of mouth. Accept the one time in Texas I believe I to or be introduced to the mom. That was her name "Karen" its funny.........that all because what it showed in the movie is exactly what they looked like.