Saturday May 14, 2005
Welfare and “those people”
When we were leaving Wal-mart (across the street from the hospital) with my prescription (and the little shopping cart Zane talked Grandma into. lol) we ran into J, my oldest cousin’s oldest son. He said that he was working at the Wichita SRS office dragging people, often kicking and screaming, into the work force. (body language is everything here…he was clearly disgusted with “those people”) I asked what his specific job was. He said he was working in the job training program, which is mandatory for anybody seeking cash assistance. (my first thought: never ask for cash assistance because if he has that kind of attitude, I can only imagine how the rest of the people might be). As the conversation progressed, he said he was picking up a gift for his sister, who is graduating from JUCO today. Her plans are to then go to cosmetology (hair style people) school, but he was having a hard time with that because 30% of the people on welfare seemed to have that degree. I shot back with: I bet another 40% have Communication Arts degrees (my degree, and, unbeknownst to me at the moment I said it, his degree). I clarified that that was the degree I had, so I hopefully didn’t sound too nasty…I meant it as a self-deprecating remark, but it was fairly funny in retrospect. (It was true though…everybody I know personally who is on assistance, has a Communication Arts or similar degree.)
As we walked away I told my mom: I am guessing that he didn’t realize that he was talking to a unexpectedly pregnant woman who just had a Dr. appointment paid for (mostly) by Medicaid, picking up a prescription paid (mostly) by Medicaid, and hurrying home to go grocery shopping with her food stamps. My mom and I laughed.
