One afternoon, Mom was visiting her neighbor, who had just come back from paying her monthly bills. They are both on fixed incomes and although they are "housed" in senior citizen rent controlled housing, there is never quite enough to go around. Their conversation turned to how far the money had stretched this time around.

Her neighbor's daughter came in around that time, picked up her mother's receipts and looked at them, then she asked ..."How much do you have left from your check, Mom?"

No answer was forthcoming, her mother just looked at her. The daughter said, " You had forty-eight cents left from your check. When you say you are broke, Mom ... You really are. You paid all your bills alright... but do you have anything left for medicine... or groceries?"

No answer was needed. That is the harsh and real truth of life for the majority of our older citizens. The choice is a place to live, or groceries, or medicine, not much of a choice.. Is it?

As told to me by my Mother.... Paula Johnson©, May 7, 2001