"While I was able to work, I stayed on the farm. I had forty acres. But
after my children left me and my wife died, I thought it would be better
to sell out and pay my debts. Pay your honest debts and everything will
be lovely. Now I manages to pay my rent by taking care of this yard and
I get help from the government. I can't read and I can't write.
"I went down yonder to get help from the county. At last they taken me
on and I got groceries three times. After that I couldn't get nothin' no
more. They said my papers were made out incorrectly. I asked the worker
to make it out correctly because I couldn't read and write. She said she
wasn't supposed to do that but she would do it. She made it out for me.
A short time later, the postman brought me a letter. I handed it to a
lady to read for me, and she said, 'This is your old age check.' You
don't know how much help that thing's been to me.