Wrath

Classes have been researching history topics in the library.  One girl is a tough nut, but she worked hard and did everything she was supposed to do.  She was a little behind, though, so yesterday I found her a couple of books to take home and urged her to read over the chapters on her topic.  Today, as she typed, it was obvious she'd read the stuff and had a very good opening to her paper.  I was pleased, because she's easily sidetracked and has a chip on her shoulder a lot of the time and her attitude tends to get in the way, both with adults and with other students.

After she left I realized she'd left her hoodie on the back of her chair.  I cannot describe how dirty it was.   Not old or stained, especially, but FILTHY.

It broke my heart.

Then it made me very, very angry.

Ok, I've never had to work three jobs to make ends meet, or have been on welfare, or addicted to drugs or whatthehellever ( it could be presumptuous and wrong to assume these things, but let's for a moment imagine a bad situation.).  Why can't the adult in her life see to it that she has clean clothes, for God's sake?  If you can't get it to the laundry, put it in the sink and take a bar of soap to it.  Or, teach her how to do that, and make sure she does.  Christ.  It's such a basic thing.

Anyway, it's in the dryer.