3/9/20

Sophie

It wasn’t poverty that brought Sophie to MetMin. It was generosity. It was her 1st visit.

Seems to me that people whose lives are characterized by poverty are very generous.

Sophie has a pretty fair income, social security and a small pension from the manufacturing firm she worked for for 12 years. She’s 72. Last month she loaned a friend some money who promised he’d pay her back. He didn’t. That’s why Sophie couldn’t pay her all her rent.

She and another friend own a car together. They share the car and the car payments. Great idea, huh? But her friend had trouble this month and couldn’t pay her part. That’s why Sophie couldn’t pay all her rent – again – this month.

The late fees had really added up, making matters worse.

Even tho it was the first time that ever happened, Sophie showed .up at MetMin today with a court-ordered eviction. She owed $992.

She was born in Macon, but moved to Chattanooga when she was little. “My mom wasn’t the type to be tied down with kids. She gave me and my sisters away.”

“I didn’t have any kids, myself. I’m blessed that way. I see so many young kids out there who are just outta control. Looking for love in all the wrong places. Maybe what happened to me also happened to them.”

We got Sophie sqared away with her rent and offered help with her EPB bill, but she wouldn’t take it. “With the help you gave me, I can pay my own bills. That’s what I’ve always done.”