Enabling The Disabled

, , | Hopeless | May 25, 2016

(I work for a disability lawyer as the receptionist, so I’m often the bearer of bad news. We have a client who has just gone before the judge for a hearing a month earlier, and is waiting to hear if he’s going to be given disability or turned down for a third time. This man is homeless and had a rough life, but he has kept a sweet disposition through all his tragedies.)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Law Office]. How can I help you?”

Client: “This is [Client]. I was told I’d gotten a letter in. It’s not bad news, is it?”

Me: “Let me look you up in our system… It seems that we got the response back from the judge yesterday, Mr. [Client], and you were found fully favorable.”

Client: “What? I got it?”

Me: “Yes, they’re awarding you. That letter you got was either from our legal assistant telling you all about that, or from Social Security’s office telling you the good news. Congratulations!”

Client: *breaks into tears* “Really? I really got it? I get to go to a doctor now?”

Me: “You really got it. I’m happy for you, sir. Go get that letter and have a great weekend, okay?”

Client: “Thank you. Thank you all so much. Y’all are my guardian angels. I was praying that something good would happen.”

(I was quietly crying by the time we ended the phone call. Sometimes it’s a blessing in itself telling someone whose life has been debilitating that it’s turned around for them and humbling at the same time, because we take such things as a simple doctor visit for granted.)

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