Parable II: Real Life Situation in Oak Ridge

(The persons in this posting are known to Bob Henderson who submitted it.)

"Joe" had attended evening school and worked as an accountant. He was recruited in 1942 to come do important work "for the government" in Oak Ridge. With pride he served his country supporting the secret work here. His family moved to Knoxville until rental housing became available in Oak Ridge in 1945. When Oak Ridgers were allowed to buy their government-owned-houses in 1957 he bought the home they had rented for twelve years. By 1971-72 health problems forced him to retire shortly before he was sixty-five.

Joe was a professional who worked in Oak Ridge for 30 years. Salaries weren't very high in Oak Ridge when he retired in the early 70's, but he was confident his government would reward his loyalty with a livable pension for him and his wife for as long as they lived. Joe died in 1989 at age 81. His widow receives a surviving spouse pension check and she remains in the house where she has now lived for over sixty years.

Her pension check is for $395 each month and $187 of that is withheld to provide health coverage. She receives a net of $209 each month from the pension. That and her social security check are how she survives. She provides minimal upkeep on the house, keeps the lights and heat as low as she can stand and doesn't pay anyone come to clean because she can't afford it.

As a ninety-two year old, she won't complain because she grew up during the depression. She loves Oak Ridge, her USA, and the University of Tennessee. She taught school for a number of years when she was younger. Is this how we say, "Thanks for a job well done?”