The Box

I was reading a story recently that discussed a family suffering through extreme poverty. When they got "The Box" from a tzedaka organization, they were cringing from embarrassment, because it had the organization's logo on the box.

Thursday night I learned the difference between real life and the stories.

In real life, "The Box" doesn't have the logo of the organization that sent it. But in real life there is plenty to be embarrassed of anyway.

Here's what happened:

I knew that between some repairs we needed done (the kind that can't be put off of course-those are the only type we do) and the length of time elapsed since my mother's last paycheck, combined with my sister's tutor needing to be paid, money would be extra tight this week. So despite the late hour, I left to go to a drive through ATM machine near my house. I figured I would take out 500 dollars cash, to distribute as needed. As I walked out of my house, I saw a minivan in my driveway. The minute I opened the door, the van sped off. Then I looked down at my feet and saw a big box, sitting right there on my doorstep. I got this awul feeling in the pit of my stomach, but left anyway.
I got home ten minutes later, cash in hand, and I knew I had to bring the box inside. I shlepped it in, and opened it up, and my heart sank somewhere deep into the pit of my stomach.

It was so different, yet so similar from the stories.

I panicked. Why are they sending us this stuff? How did they know about us? Why do they think we need it? WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH IT NOW?

I called my sister into the kitchen, and we panicked together. We came to a mutual decision that my father should not see this, as it might be the last straw to his already battered pride. We quickly unpacked the groceries, trying to make it look as if we bought them.

Then we went to sleep.

That only pushed off reality for a few hours. I'm not sure how, as I was at work, but my parents found out about "The Box". I never saw my family in such a state. My mother liked the idea. My father was horrified. Everyone was fighting. It was awful.

Real life is sometimes tougher than the stories.