Doorway Talk

A conversation this morning with one of the homeless women I talked to last week who remembered working with me forty years ago in an anti-poverty agency.

“How are you?”

“How are you?”

“What are you doing today?”

“What are you doing today?”

“I came back because I forgot to give out the gift cards I brought as thank-yous for you and the other women in the group the other night.”

“Oh.”

“It works like money. Just take it to Walgreen’s and buy something. It’s for $10. You could buy something for $10.”

“I can’t take this.”

“Why? It’s a present from me. It’s a thank you for being in the focus group.”

“No. Can you hire me? Let me tell you the things I can do.”

“I don’t have any jobs. I’m sorry.”

“Are you still doing great work? I remember the work you did.”

“I work. I hope it’s great sometimes but I don’t know.”

____________________

Photo by Niklas Rhöse on Unsplash