CHAPTER 2
THE FOOD BANK- Meeting Madea
This was a crisis and stepping up to the food plate was next base.
Obama’s campaign helped me feel good about myself and kept
me busy. After Obama’s election it was time for me to return from the “elation
of the nation” and return to my own personal reality, the same reality that was
unwelcomed and unwillingly sadly shared by millions, I was now standing in a
food line.
As I stood in line many thoughts crossed my mind about how I
got here, what could I have done different to not wind up here? I appeased
myself as I looked around by thinking this was just for now.
In the food line there was no masquerade. Well dressed folks
that were hungry, poor dressed folks that were hungry. Somehow we all managed
to feel a sweet camaraderie amongst us. The lady in front of me had been
standing in line since 7am it was now 8:30 am and she told me they promised
none of us would be turned away. That brought me joy since my hours at work
were cut to 3 days a week and I was eating scraps and top ramen for a few
weeks.
Oralie, a lady standing in line behind me who was only
working part time was telling me about a full time job at Austin radiology for
telephone work. She said she could not do this herself but wanted me to have
it. I thought what a sweetie...looking out for a perfect stranger that
felt not so perfect standing in a food line.
She was a well spoken lady. A year ago she said” I worked three
jobs and always had plenty of money. It took its toll on my health and now
instead of taking care of my sister and her kids, they are taking care of me.”
She said Obama is our hope but why are they bailing out the Auto industries
when we all need so much help?
Why don’t they give everybody that pays their taxes a $1000
bucks just to help them out? At least people could stop living in their cars or
keep their apartments. I laughed out loud. I said “if there was a way I’m sure
OBAMA would make it happen. Weeks later after the election this came true,
taxpayers were given a hefty refund.
Years ago with my
good resume and charm I was able to score any job, anywhere. So what has
happened? I thought about Tyler Perry and his Madea character who said in one
of his movies:
“Life, life has happened to me and these new friends
standing with me.
Now I was only number 39, waiting in a food line.
Mama Mabel a little lady standing in line with me whose
husband had been on disability used to baby sit for working mothers to make
extra money. Only now she was babysitting for free most of the time as some of the
mothers simply could not afford to pay her for child care. I wondered what a kind,
noble selfless person she was. She talked to me about better days when her
husband was working and they had a car. She spoke of her old beat up Chevy that
got towed and she could not afford to get back as they did not have the money
to get it out. So, I offered to give her a ride home afterwards.
It was time to go in and my ex boyfriend Harry had gone in
first. Harry was greeted by a worker at the food bank that appeared so familiar
to him. Suddenly they both remembered each other. Years ago Harry had hired her
for the newspaper when he was the ad director. She said “Harry, what are you
doing here” He answered, “I am here because I need to be.” He sure did, he had
two kids and had taken in a third that was put out in the streets. I was proud
of him, he did not flinch an eye nor was he prideful.
He got his groceries and was beaming with joy. He turned to
me and smiled and said," Baby they gave me nine bags of food and I am so
happy .” I smiled back and waited for my number. This was not a time for ex
husbands or ex boyfriend’s adversity. This was a crisis and we all had to help
each other. As he walked away I promised to go to the other banks for him and share
with him whatever I got.
Harry, a most brilliant, eloquent man used to be the ad
director for 20 years of the most read newspaper in Austin. He changed jobs and
was trying to sell Internet marketing programs now at about $10,000 a piece. He
had made plenty of money before but on a global scale people were not too keen
on forging out $10,000 dollars right now to buy the programs he was selling. He
had no sales and no money.
It was time for me to get my food gifts. As they were
filling my bags with food and items I started sobbing and the tears flowed all
over my plastic grocery bags. The volunteer at the food bank threw her arms
around me. She knew I was not used to this. She knew I was so grateful.
The following day I was at another food bank and there were
hundreds of people waiting. I patiently waited and volunteered my time as a
Spanish interpreter for the others that did not speak English. They were
grateful to have me. It is true when you give of yourself to help others
miracles happen.
There I met Billy and his wife. Billy and I started talking
and he said he was there because he was a trucker, but was short $107.00 to get
his towing license back. I swear if I had had it I would have given it to him
right then and there.
Billy asked me if I had ever done dispatching and I said,
sure, yes I have. He got on his cell phone and called Marco where he used to
work to get me an interview. I spoke with Marco and he was impressed. He said”
come fill out an application” and I will immediately put you to work.”
It is true when you give of yourself to help others miracles
happen.
You know how long it has been since an employer just hired me
outright? I loved this. No waiting two or more weeks and wondering who I had to
impress. No nights wondering “will you choose me”? I have an interview tomorrow morning. Wish me
luck I said to Billy.
My mind started to wonder as I waited in the hot sun, what
would happen if Madea and I were standing at the food bank? I started to
daydream…….
Madea and I at the food bank
I met Madea at the food bank and we started talking. Immediately
she went into her take on this economy. She mentioned how her Brother Joe’s
check was delayed from social security. How she counted on it for food for her
and her kids. She said the house was paid for but the rest of her money went
into bailing herself out. What I said? Bail yourself out? From where?
“From Jail girl”, she said.
I was at the socially secure office last week,” she said. I
told them how to run this depressant economy. They did not take too kindly to my carrying
in my piece of steal, my gun, in my purse. I wasn’t gonna shoot anyone, I just wanted to find out when I would get my brother Joe’s check and if I
could get a social secure card for Sammy ( Sammy was one of her kids she took
care of). I did not have his birth certificate and was just trying to get him
his socially secure card so he could get a part time job at Wal-Mart.
The lady at the social secure office asked me for legal
proof to get Sammy’s social security card. “What the hell do I need that fur” I
said to the lady at the window, I am the one feeding him now. This is to help him and his sick mama who is
also livin in my house too.
Madea tried to explain that Sammy’s mama had taken ill and
could not be there. The lady at the social security window had no compassion. She
called the security guard on her before she had a chance to explain and they
hauled her off to jail, impounded her stolen car Sammy had given her as a gift,
some gift.
They let her out on bail as she said she had 4 kids living
in her house that were put out on the streets she now was taking care of.
One of the kids had just cleaned himself up from using crack.
His father used to beat him. His name was Marlo. Madea told me how she beat the
hell out of his father and took his son with her to her house.
“Anyone who beats up on kids deserves to have their ass
whooped “she said.
When Marlo came to live at Madea’s house the first few days
he would change in the bathroom where there was a lock. Madea noticed this and
saw Marlo always wearing the same vest under his clothes. So she took him
shopping for clothes that afternoon. Marlo almost went into the girl’s bathroom
and was so embarrassed. Madea knew. She knew he was transgender. She said “I
don’t care if you want to be a Giraffe I still love you the same. To me you are
whoever you want to be.” Her caring loving eyes brought tears to Marlo. “You
know”, Marlo said. “Yes baby I knew from the beginning, now go on and get you
some boy clothes if that makes you happy.” Marlo was transgender and his father
beat him because of this.
The other two kids now living with her she found in the streets
stealing purses. They made the big mistake of trying to steal Madea’s purse. Tiandra
and April tried to steal Madea’s purse. Madea grabbed her and her sister by the
scruff of their necks and made them return it.
What the hell were you thinking trying to steal my purse? I
got the good sense to knock you….
“Please maam I was just trying to feed my little sister”.
Said Tiandra. She looked at their little faces.
“What are you doing here on the streets”, its dangerus out
here. Tiandra said their mother had died and their father was an alcoholic who
beat them every chance he could. That they ran away at 10 and 13. Sadly Tiandra
said she tried hooking for a while to feed her sister but when it got too
dangerous Tiandra was afraid they would rape her little sister April. So they
took to stealing purses instead. Good hearted Madea had heard enough. She took
them in and had both back in school now.
Samuel, the 4th of Madea’s kids was a car thief
and a good one. His mother had raised him and when she got sick Sammy took to
stealing cars. He met Madea at the hospital where she was volunteering part
time to feed the patients.
One day as she was coming out of the hospital pantry she
spotted Samuel stealing meds for his mom. By now his mother with no health
insurance was in constant pain and was barely eating.
What the hell do you think you’re doing? She said. Samuel
tried to run but Madea slapped him across the head and knocked him down. As she
was ready to turn him in the hospital guard she noticed he was very young and
his eyes spoke clearly he was not on drugs. How old are you son? I am 15 he
said. “Why the hell are you stealing drugs?” For my mom he said, she has no
health insurance. What? Said Madea!
He started to tell her his story. How his dad had left them
when he was 6 yrs old. His mother was the only one working until she got sick
and lost her job. She had health insurance for a while but they refused to pay
for her meds and afterwards for her treatment. She could not afford cobra
insurance. He would get a job if he was old enough but no one believed he was
17 yrs old yet and he had no social security card. His mother had gotten aids
from his dad years ago and was in a lot of pain constantly. All he could do was
to learn to steal and work on cars. That is the only thing he knew to do. A big
smile came over Madea’s face and she said.
“Let’s go get your mama. I will help ya.” I have an old car
you can do mechanical on.
She said to me. “These are all good kids “she said. “Each
and every one of them.” I know damn well I’ll never get to deduct them off my
taxes cause I tried last week and the government, the I ER S last week asked me
if I was on medication when I had to explain why I deducted 4 kids as depending on me. They asked me if I was on
medication. “What the hell do you think I told them “she said? The only
medicated person here is you, you dumb ass government zombies who don’t know
that it is a jungle out there and these children are my responsibility now,
they need me. They escorted her out screaming profanities at the I ER SS
office.
She turned to me and asked me.”So what is your story, why
the hell are you standing out here, you look like you belong in an office or
somethin”. I laughed and told her my
story. How years ago I had stopped fighting for custody of my kids cause their
dad made more money than I did and he had more expensive lawyers. I did not
ever want them to be hungry or want for nothing. I said that I had since been
trying to get back to Oregon but could not make enough money to do it. I told
her that in my 20 year old Subaru car were the pictures of my kids on my
steering column. That I moved to my car so that I could get back to them. I explained
about the custody battles. How I loved them so much that I had to allow them to
be with their daddy until the time came for me to give them the best of me. I
was on a path and this path held too many dangers and instability for them. In
my soul I knew I was somebody and I would never give up until I made a
contribution to this world.
“Now stop right there”.
She said. “You are somebody all ready. You are the mother of those children and
that makes you a somebody. They don’t care if you come back with a lot of money,
a job or anything. All your children want is their mama. “ I said I did not
have a home to give them, or a place to cook for them if I went back now.
“Believe in yourself Lilly
and the Lord will provide.” Be grateful that you have an ex-husband who loves
your children so much he takes care of them. Hell, so many men out there just
abandon their kids. “
I took to heart what she said.
Number 32. Madea’s number came up. As she went in to get her
bags of groceries I was praying to myself for a miracle. I was praying that
Madea would get more than enough food for her and her adopted kids. I also
prayed for myself for a miracle. That I would return to my kids in Oregon with
more than enough money to get me there, get a nice small house that was mine
where I could hold my head up high and cook great food for my kids. I had
prayed that my book I was writing would be published.
Number 39, they yelled out. I went in and got my groceries. As
I was taking my groceries to my wagon I saw Madea waiting. I said “Madea are
you ok? “ She said yeah. I was waiting for you to give me a ride because my car
was towed. I smiled and told her I would be more than happy to do that. I drove
her to her house and she asked me to spend the night on her sofa.
It was so nice to be in a house and not sleep in my car. I
barely got any sleep cause uncle Joe’s snoring and farting kept me awake. I put
the pillow over my head so I did not have to smell him or hear him.
I hugged the pillow to my head and imagined I was at a fancy
hotel, a bathroom, hot water, I was in heaven.
In the morning Madea chuckled to herself when I came in the
kitchen. She said she was sorry but had read my folder I left on the coffee
table. How long you been written this? I said for about a year. “It’s pretty
good,” she said.” So when you gonna make a book or movie?" I ‘m not sure. I have to get a publisher
first. I said.
Then go get one. A publicchure. You know what; I know this
man called Tyler. He is a personal friend of mines. I said really? She said “yes.
And I will hook you up with him so that he reads your story. He will love it as
much as I do. I smiled, “Thanks Madea.”
Hey Lilly do you remember the election of Obama? Yeah, I
voted for him. I said.
Well I waited 5 hours to vote for OBAAMA. I had brought my chair
and sat down until it was my turn to vote. Her chair she said had “You better
VOTE for OBAMA or I will whoop yo ass. I
laughed out loud and told her how my vote was a “conditional vote” even though
I was registered. They said they would have to review my vote.
Renew what the hell? She said. “Are you old enough to vote”,
“yes “I said, “Were you registered in time? ““Yes”, I said. “Then why the hell
did they make your vote contritional? “I said I did not know but an actor in
New York had the same problem and he got lawyers to force them to accept his
vote.
Why the hell didn’t you”. I said “I am not a lawyer but I
had always dreamed of becoming one.” I said that although my credit was good it
was not enough, and I had no scholarship.
That’s ok baby, she said. You can be anything you want to
be. OBAMA SAYS THERE WILL BE LOTS OF JOBS THAT PAY WELL. Maybe you can get you
a job as an assistant to one of them lawyerse . Then you can study “on the
line” , you know, at night on the computer, the intranet. That’s a good idea. I
thought.
There’s all kinds of schools for working folks. Maritza my
neighbor, she studied one of them online schools and now she works at a fancy dentist
office.
Or go get you a job at one of them colleges that pay for
your lawyese school. There’s a few of em .
What kinda law do you want to be special in? “Alternative energy. Yet with the job market right
now I was not quite sure how I would break into that field. “
Well just your luck girl. I heard that Obama has lots of
jobs coming up in that. I have an idea.
If you want to go to law school then do that, if you want to
learn alternative energy then do that. Just don’t do both at the same time. One
first, then the other. Let God help you then get out of your own way.
“Why do you want to go to law school anyway?” Said Madea. I
said “because I love to win and make money. I said I was smart and just wanted the chance
to prove it to myself.
Madea said, “Going to lawyers school is something you do because
you love it. Not all lawyers make a lot of money. You got to want to love what
you do to be good in it. Right now with
all this global planet stuff about warming they could use your help with energy
ideas.
“Look at it like this”,
said Madea, “maybe you can do this energy thing and become one of them environ-mentally lawyers. That way you can do both. “ I said,
“I wish I had thought of that.”
She said “baby don’t you ever give up on your dream. The
minute you think it is hard it will be, the minute you make up your mind that
that is what you really want then God will find a way. Pray Baby. ““First I
have to get there, back to my kids”, I said. “I was hoping to get there with my
old Subaru but she’s too old to make it back.
“Then you walk there if you have to. She got out her calculator
and was figuring out how many days, weeks and months it would take me to walk
to Oregon. I laughed . Ooh whoooo she said as her fingers hit the calculator. Okay
it is exactly 2072 miles, and you can
get there in 28 days and five hours , pack you some food and..See you could be
there next month.
I smiled. Ok I will walk if I have too. I smiled and was
seriously considering this.
