The author finds herself 32, mother to an infant, Mia, and homeless, after Mia's father's behavior becomes so disturbing they are forced to flee. Over the years of Mia's infancy in Washington State, Stephanie works frantically to sustain herself and her daughter through carefully maximizing all government benefits available, and working a variety of housecleaning jobs, all while taking online courses in an attempt to move her family on to something better. Stephanie's book makes clear the effort of conscientiousness and organization required to hold on to those meager benefits, and opens up the feelings of being an anonymous household 'maid,' required to clean the toilets of strangers. Her exhaustion, vulnerability and loneliness are clear. Particularly enlightening is a story she tells of being in a grocery store using a WIC coupon and hearing an older man in line behind her shout angrily, "You're welcome," presumably because he felt he should be thanked for contributing to her child's glass of milk.
No comments:
Post a Comment