Marty Sunshine felt sorry for Ms. Shirley on Monday, as he listened to me as I laid into her in epic proportions. That is, until he heard me parrot what she had just said: she was too embarrassed to call me.
Um yea... on the top 21 things never to say to me, that is somewhere on the list. I am much more agreeable when the person in question sucks it up and dials the phone. Of course, she also said her phone is restricted and she can't make long distance calls (on her cell) and her Internet doesn't work.
I pointed out that her neighbors have Internet and phones. Her daughter has a cell phone. The library has computers. There is the US postal service. Essentially, I am not that hard to get in touch with.
I also told her that sometimes we all have to make difficult phone calls--like the one I was going to have to make to Mr. Partner, explaining that a tenant that I have granted favors for, has essentially taken advantage of my good nature.
Ms. Shirley then quickly changed the subject by starting in on how she has bills, she has been sick and I just don't know what it is like to be "poor."
I completely bypassed that particular comment, as Ms. Shirley doesn't need to know my upbringing. How I had one pair of pants to my name throughout Junior High. And how Junior High girls are vicious. She doesn't need to know about how I went to three high schools because my father had been out of work for two years in the early 1980s. She doesn't need to hear about how we ended up living in a 900 square foot 1890's Vermont home, with inadequate heat, right next door to the projects.
Nor does Ms. Shirley need to know about how the summer I was pregnant with Polly I drove around in a 1989 Subaru station wagon. The engine blew black exhaust, the bumper had a gigantic hole in it and the worst part was the car had no air conditioning whatsoever. All because we were determined to live within our means.
Nope. I have no idea what it is like to be Ms. Shirley poor.
Instead I seethed, "Do you know what it is like to be homeless? Because if I don't have your rent payment, I don't pay the mortgage and neither of us have a house."
"Oh, I don't want that." Ms. Shirley stupidly replied.
Note to Ms. Shirley: you are almost homeless.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Here is what she should have said, "I don't know what it's like to be poor and worked my way out of it". That would be more accurate. She needs to understand that living in an expensive house will not allow her to work out of her poverty....it will only work her deeper into it. You and Marty are awesome people and I adore the both of you.
Just want to say what a great blog you got here!I’ve been around for quite a lot of time, but finally decided to show my appreciation of your work! Thumbs up, and keep it going!
Post a Comment