I missed "slicing" earlier this week as I battled a bug of sorts and pushed aside worries about the state of the world. Today, I am even more concerned. Let me explain.
I used to be a DD regular sipping on that caffeine-filled fuel during long commutes. These days I rarely stop for coffee as it is pricey and I make it at home. I had been out running errands when the desire for a second cup of jo percolated (pun intended) into my thinking. There was a much longer than expected line when I got inside and I almost decided it was not worth waiting. The line moved slowly as people ordered party boxes and gift cards and specialty drinks and I found my self in earshot of a gentleman who appeared to be of typical retirement age, dressed in a very worn and wrinkled suit, filling out an application with help from someone who did the writing. I couldn't help but overhear "9th grade in the Bronx," as well as his address, phone number, and his comment of, "any hours."
The helper asked him to initial and sign the paper and grew indignant when he wrote something in the wrong place. "You really should learn how to read, and write if you want to work," she scowled in the tone children use with their parents when they are clearly frustrated!
"It's too late for that, " he said softly., "I just want to keep my work and keep SNAP."
"It's not too late," she scoffed, "there is help at the library. Mom learned. You could if you were not so stubborn. You are not going to get a job if you can't read and you guys are going to be ......good luck." She left without a goodbye leaving him at the table looking far worse than I have been after battling the bug and pushing worries about the state of the world aside.
I know there is a whole lot more to this story than my 5 minutes of eavesdropping revealed, yet I can't seem to get him off my mind. That DD application is probably a waste of time, but what kind of work can he, of a certain age get with limited literacy?
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