Do you know what it's like?

I spent 45 minutes on the phone with C. M. today. C. M. is an older, low-income, African-American woman. She knew before I called her that I would not be able to help her pay her past due rent because she did not have children. That didn't stop her from telling me her story though.

In any case, I found her very quoteable. Here are some memorable lines:

"When you’re poor, it’s an emergency everyday. Every day. There is always something you can’t pay for."

"Poor people get treated different. Just look at New Orleans. Those people suffering now, they black and they poor. Poor people get treated like dirt."

"What would I do if I had to be evacuated? I have $4 in my pocket, $4 in one bank account, and $10 in the other. How far would I get?"

" Just ‘cuz I’m poor don’t mean I’m ignorant."

I wish George Bush could have fielded that phone call. She had a lot to say that could have opened his mind to the way things are for poor people today. It was a very remarkable conversation. Reminded me of how little I will ever understand about being her, no matter how long I work this job.