When I'd signed up for Food Stamps, there was the option to sign up for cash as well. General assistance I guess. I was too proud then to ask for it, but as the sliver of gel in my deodorant got just a little thinner Monday morning, I was kicking myself for that.
A bus trip costs $1, transfers are $1, and a day pass is $3. If you need a transfer to get where you're going, then the day pass is your way to go. With just $5 in my pocket I could afford a trip to the transfer station downtown and a lot of walking after that.
My first stop was the local welfare office. I signed in electronically. A few minutes later, my name was called and the lady at the information desk left me with the distinct impression that she'd actually read my file. She acknowledged that I'd successfully filed online and that I'd wait until I was called.
A few minutes later that was what happened. At window number six, another nice woman honestly complimented my jacket and asked me a lot of the same questions that my Case Worker had. She asked how I'd ended up here and I began my story, edging ever closer to tears. I'd traveled to the city, it hadn't worked out, I had no other options, the mountain was here and--
--repeating a pattern equal parts funny and sad, she politely said she understood before I could finish the details of my intention to commit suicide.
We did a few other things and she explained I'd get a food card and I could pick it up at window one when they called for me. I thanked her and left.
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