A Lady Bum

Sunday morning at Wendy’s restaurant at Allegheny Center, Pittsburgh. A woman about 50, long gray hair, having coffee with an old gentleman. She says she’s poor, but Jesus will reward her—by granting her the desires of her heart. Her talk is constantly of “The Lord.” 

Old Guy (agreeing): If you get a job, you’ll have the money to go out and get those things. 

Lady Bum:  Listen, if I got a job, eight to five in a five and dime or a shoe store, you know what kind of place I’d get? A one bedroom flat above a washroom on the north side. 

Old Guy:  I disagree with you on that. If you were working 40 hours you could get—at least a two room place. 

Lady Bum:  Not for a woman. Things haven’t changed. Unless you’re highly trained. The only thing I’m trained in is serving the Lord. The one thing I can’t stand is the persecution. I’m ministering to somebody and they turn around and lie about me and hurt me, and I have to stand there and take it. No. I saw in a vision 15 years ago a man handing me a suitcase full of money. And it’s been confirmed. He’ll give me a home and the things I need. Also I’ll get my new anointing and I’ll be on crusades and giving messages. Everything he’s told me He’ll do for me, God’ll do it. ~ Journal, Oct. 31, 1986