Jessica Singleton
The Price Of Freedom
The fine print
By ;
Jessica Singleton
1
Jessica worked at the Department of Human services in Malham Texas. Malham was a little town that housed 30 thousand people. Most were Mexican , Chinese or Black. Only 10 thousand of the 30 thousand residents were white.
Jessica's sister Dailia lived in one of the only three low income apartments. Getting into low income housing was hard by itself. You had to fall into low income. There are so many problems. Starting with the waiting list. It usually takes a person at least a year to get into low income.
Jessica lived in a regular apartment by herself with her cat Twink. Twink was a Tonkinese cat. Jessica loved her job, it was the only thing that made her feel better by the end of the day, besides books.
Life is hard on the mind and its worse on the soul. The things that life can make you go through, will cause more psychological problems, then physical damages due to a car wreck.
Jessica grew up hearing about her grandmother and all the problems that her family went through. It was the reason that her family was dirt poor. Jessica was lucky that she had the job that she did.
Her sister made the mistake in starting the party life style at a young age. That held her back financially by being a single mother and an x drug addict. Her sister did not have an education and she did not have a car.
Jessica's job did give her some allowance but it was not much. She got by every month.
There was always money for food, gas, shampoo, books and health care.
She was not into wall to wall anything. So having the basics was not a bad thing. She hated clutter anyway.
When Jessica drove through the city, it was discouraging to see how bad life was for some people. There was nothing that you could do to help them. They were set up like chess pieces to die by the hands of society. There was just not much you could do to help out.
Jessica tried to explain to young women when they came into her job, that going through tanif was better then not. Low income is a short stick. It would be better to let the state put you back in school. At least then, you would not be hoping to wait on a check. You'd have some rights.
Most young women did not care. They just gave up. It sounded like a lot of hard work. They were already tired and sick of waiting on anything to happen. They just did what they had to do to get by.
Jessica's sister was always telling her about the landlady that worked at her apartment complex.
The landlady was shady but no one could ever really say that.
It was always something. If it was not the outlets or the pipes, then it was the washers or the dryers. Things got fixed , but it was always something.
One time Dailia went to pay rent. It was 4:50 PM. The office closed at 5:00 PM , everyday. But when Dailia got to the office, the landlady looked at her when she put up the closed sign. So Dailia went around the building to her po box. When she walked back around the building, she saw a white woman walking into the office. So she walked in and ask if she could pay her rent.
The Landlady said,
" We closed a few minutes ago. I was already in the middle of this. I am sorry. Just come back in the morning. Comprehend eh? "
Technically that was a lie. But then again... How do you prove that? By all means , it could have very well been five - fifty PM when Dailia left her apartment. But you figure in five minutes to walk over there.
Maybe that woman was already in the office and just walked out to get something. Who really knows?
2
Jessica got into her office , when her phone rang. It was not her office phone though. It was her cellphone. Dailia knew not to call Jessica at work unless it was an emergency. Jessica picked up.
" Hey what's going on ? Did something happen with the boys ? Are you okay ? "
" Nothing like that. That stupid bi'ch did it again. She had this pencil dick boyfriend walking around here a few weeks back. You know you could tell by the way she hung on him. Everyone knows she is a hoe bag slut and no one would put it past her to hit on her boss. I am telling you that woman has something to do with it. "
" Hey, hey ... I am at work. I love you and all but this is the kind of thing that you can tell me about later. I really am at work. I cannot take this call. I thought something was wrong. "
" Jessie, listen to me. This is the problem. That landlady is selling out. She wants money. I cannot prove it. I get this letter. Hell the whole place did. She is selling the complex. Where are we all going to go? "
" Selling the complex? You live in low income. They have to give you a year after contract before they can do stuff like that. "
" I know. They did. But I cannot just get in anywhere. You know? "
" Okay, okay... well nothing is happening right now this very moment. So I will come over when I get off work and we'll go over that contract together. But right now, I'm at work. Okay can we do this later? "
" Yes, I'm sorry it is just... "
" I know it is okay. I love you Dailia. No one is going to make you homeless. You can come live with me and Twink. "
" Thank you. I will talk to you when you get off. "
" Hey' I will bring take out. Tell my nephews I have Chi. "
3
4:45 PM.
Jessica's office door opens. It was Sam her boss.
" I should have brought this to you earlier but I just got it myself. "
" What is it? "
" The state wants us there for these things. It is just procedure. My hands are tied. "
Jessica took the paper out of Sam's hands. It was a report from big brother. Social services were expected to be present when pr officers gave group sessions with troubled youths.
" What is this? "
" Inner city kids who are to young for prison are going to be a big brother project. There are officers of law there but they want DHS involved. It is to help them want to live a better life. "
" I do not understand. "
" You are the only one here with a phd. You are the only runner up in this game show Jessica. Don't worry it is not that bad. They are kids. Not psycho paths. It is like therapy for kids, and teens. "
" If they are kids. What could they have done that is so bad to put them in prison cells? "
" Look at the files. "
" Look at the files ? They have files already ? "
Sam dumped a stack of files on her desk.
" You are expected to be there tonight at 7 PM. It is at the y. No joke. Community room. "
" Thanks... I think. "
4
Jessica got off work at 5:30 PM. She had very little time to see the files. A ten year stabbed another kid because he took his ball away. One kid was twelve and he took a baseball bat to a window of his neighbor's car, because they did not want to buy a chocolate bar for charity. He must have wanted a pencil pack. But the kid had a lot of mental issues.
Jessica bought take out and she went to her sister's apartment. The contract said that it was owned by Indian / Mexican territory. That meant hud could opt out but only Mexican's or Indians could buy it in a fair way.
No one could bully anyone out with contracts made from bullsh't.
Jessica told her sister there was a meeting at the city hall about it. They'd go together and deal with it.
Then she went to the y for her meeting with the youths of the city. The kids were loud and would not sit still. The officer on duty helped her start the meeting.
Years of telling one thing to one group of people. Now she was talking to a different group of people about a something else.
5.
That Friday Jessica and Dailia went to city hall. City hall said that all those Mexicans and Indians out there should have enough money to move anywhere. The state funds them extra cash from head rights every month.
Jessica and Dailia did not know what they were talking about.
That landlady never told them.
Cama lied to everyone that worked around her.
She went to JAIL.
Jessica and Dailia found out that they had a lot of money owed to them by the state of Texas.
So no one lost anything.
They actually got back everything that was stolen from them.
The End
It needs a lot of work.
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