I worked six years at my last job; we took care of the indoor plants in office buildings throughout downtown Seattle. I liked the job, I had gotten to know all the people in the offices I worked, going to work was like visiting my friends everyday. And I was really proud of how good my plants looked. My bosses appreciated my good work too, I got raises every year and very good reviews. Then the economy went bad. When our clients started cancelling their contracts, they had to let me go.
Now I am at home, looking for a job. I am responsible for my kids and my parents, we are all living together now, and we make do however we can. My mom cooks tamales and we sell them to our neighbors, my dad, in his 60’s, looks for yard work even though his body hurts at the end of the day.
I have been cleaning houses but it is not steady work. I don’t know from one week to the next how many clients I will have. In the meantime the rent is due every month, food is more expensive and bills need to be paid. I had saved my tax refund thinking that maybe I could do something nice for the kids, but now we are using the last of the money just to cover the bills.
I don’t know what to do; I pray every day for a job. All I have is my faith to keep me going, I hope something will happen.