20160531 (pray for another)

College security officer snaps pic of student praying over homeless man in Baltimore

I’m supposed to pray for a guy

To get a job. Knowing what I 

Know about how the economy

Works and a little from college

Level theology, I wonder if it’s

Worth the effort. Several years

Ago I volunteered with the Men’s

Shelter at 2100 Lakeside to help

Guys there write resumes for

Jobs advertised in newspapers

(Still around at the time). I

Discovered I wasn’t any help

At all. As for computer skills

They knew more than I did.

And as for good resumes,

There was no point. Once 

You got down to explaining

Why you can’t account for 

Three-to-five years of your

Employment history was 

There really any hope of

Getting a job? People I knew 

With fair employment histories

Who had just been “downsized”

Weren’t getting any indications

Their resumes had been received

Much less interview offers. So

They came to the computer room

To surf for leads. There never

Were any jobs that sought their

Talents in writing—mostly

“Apply in person—talk to Bob.”

The jobs they did get were from 

Wandering the streets where a

Diner or bar might have a paper 

Sign in the window, “hiring

Washers, cooks part time.” 

For maybe a week at a time

To cover a regular’s vacation—

Then you’re out of luck until 

You find another one. Even if 

They were good as gold, still

Nothing lasted. They couldn’t

Earn enough to make rent much

Less put up a security deposit.

Or they’d work for a place and

One day they showed up and it 

Was closed. They knew they 

Weren’t going to be paid, which

Is why they often asked for their

Pay daily. I couldn’t keep my

Own spirit up. How was I to 

Be any help to them? In a few

Weeks my last job  asked me

To come back. I’d have an

Unpredictable schedule, I’d

Have to travel out of state,

Sleep overnight in a shared

Room with another worker.

I talked to the staff assigner

And delivered my very short

Notice. Had it not been merely

To supplement my pension

I couldn’t afford to take it. My

Homeless guys would have 

Killed to have regular work.

I took care not to tell them 

When I left. Yeah, I’ll pray

For him to get a job—God

Might surprise the two of us.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016