[SuperFemme]

I struggled as working poor for twenty years.

I had left a bad marriage with two girls, and later had my son but the relationship didn't even last until his birth.

The cost of just being able to go to work was astronomical. In SoCal, even earning around 100k a year we were no more than one month ahead in savings, aand believe me I didn't earn that kind of salary until the last few years I worked. I had worked two and three jobs to feed, clothe, and house my family and gone to school at night. It took me almost 4 years to earn my B.A. Degree.

I can do 100 things to top ramen to make it a meal.

So then I became disabled through a car accident, and man. Talk about being poor, but now I had the added layer of being disabled. I felt like people refused to look at me or see me.

So then came the settlement. Can I just tell you that I was happier when we had just what we needed? Money makes people weird. I know that sounds silly to say, but from the perspective of being poor to suddenly not having to worry? Things changed in some pretty fucked up ways.