How I became a liberal

[ambitious_wench]

Ron was a good friend of mine. He was the epitome of jolly. He was opinionated, abysmally ignorant in many ways, superstitious, and smoked to excess. He was a damn good cook, generous with food, humor, companionship. He believed that it was his duty to make sure that his yard was spotless, the lawn lush and trimmed. He was proud of the fact that he once grew tomatoes that produced well into November. He had a gently teasing sense of humor. He overfed the dog.

Ron was unemployed. He was Gay. He was in incredibly poor health. But he hid his pain from us that knew him and loved him. He was paranoid of hospitals. He died because of that, I think. He didn't go to a doctor for far too long.

Ron collected disability. He received free healthcare.

I once asked him how he was doing financially. He was living with a woman I was dating, and I know for a fact that if he hadn't been, he would be on the streets. He had no family, because they disowned him when he came out.

He said he was doing ok, because L. didn't charge him a "red cent, Edie, not one red cent, but I do what I can, I buy food, I cook, I'm here for her boys, I try to clean and carry my weight around the house. I'm proud like that ("dat"), ya know, I don't want no charity but God help me, I'd be living under a bridge if it weren't for L.".

I realized it was my tax dollars that was supporting him. And for the first time in my life, I was proud to be a tax payer, that my money was helping to give him some support in a world that had not only chewed him up, but spit him out and then spit on him.

"Ron, I am glad I pay taxes, because of you."

He looked at me and burst out laughing.

"Oh, you, you're a hot shit, you know that?"

God bless and keep you, Ron, and may the Virgin comfort you at the feet of your Savior.

Comments

[whispersinink.livejournal.com]

And you are hot shit.

Thank you for sharing that.