| Homeless | | | | He said, "An elderly gentleman tried to check |
| Tuesday, February 6, 2007 - 10:00 P.M. | | | | himself into the Richwood Nursing Home last |
| I was talking with a couple of our mechanics | | | | week. He showed up at their door and said, "I |
| today while on my lunch break. They stopped by | | | | want to be admitted." |
| my office where I work to talk a little. We all | | | | The staff told him that was not how things were |
| work in the public education sector in rural West | | | | done at the nursing home. They said, "You must |
| Virginia. They were checking to see if a new | | | | meet certain criteria - not just show up and |
| mechanic had been hired during the previous | | | | expect to be admitted." |
| night's board meeting. Our topic of discussion | | | | He said, "Well, you don't understand. I have no |
| turned to jobs in West Virginia and the state of | | | | place to go. I have been evicted from my home. |
| our economy. We said that we were thankful for | | | | I am 4 months behind on rent. I am behind on all |
| the jobs that we have. We felt lucky to have | | | | my utilities. If I don't get admitted into your |
| jobs which provided insurance and retirement | | | | facility, I will be sleeping in a cardboard box down |
| benefits. | | | | on the street out in the cold. If you don't take |
| I said, "Even though we have jobs, poverty is all | | | | me in, I have no place to go." |
| around us here in these rich coalfields, especially | | | | The staff sent him or took him, I don't know |
| noticeable in the children who are asking for a | | | | which, over to the Richwood Area Medical Center |
| warm blanket for Christmas instead of a toy." | | | | Emergency room to have him checked out to |
| The mechanics agreed. Then, one of them told | | | | see if they could find something wrong with him, |
| me the following story: | | | | so they could give him a home. |