My heart goes out to the co-workers Barbara encountered throughout the book. Barbara had lots of courage to go out into the world and try to place herself into the shoes of the "working poor" citizens.

As I read about Barbara's waitressing experience, I thought about my own experience as a waitress. I started waitressing at the age of 14 and continued through college. During this time I often felt looked down upon as if I was just a servant. People treated me poorly and did not respect my position. Of course there were some gracious souls who treated me like a million dollars!! I remember one time when I was in college and the food delivery man was shocked to see me studying while at work. (I had some down time that I was able to study for short periods of time.) He was surprised that I was actually going to college. I guess since I had worked at the restaurant for so many years, he assumed that is where I would retire. From that point on he would always ask about how things were going, etc. When I finally "retired" from the waitressing occupation, I left several customers shocked that I was actually quitting so that I could pursue my career as a teacher. I was so glad to leave the hardworking demands of the restaurant business!!!

While I could only relate to the waitressing experience from the book, I felt the author informed me significantly about the other life situations that are dealt with on a daily basis. I wish everyone would have the opportunity to read this book -- it may change attitudes towards the hardworking people that we encounter everyday.

Tasha, I enjoyed this book too! It was a "page turner" to me. I admired Barbara for taking on the position that she did in finding jobs that the "working poor" usually have, and finding housing that she could (barely) afford on the minimum wages that she earned.

I begin working at age 16. It was an experience that I have never forgotten. I was a nurse's aide in a nursing home. Some of my responsibilies were emptying bedpans, and giving the residents their baths. This job was an "eye opener" for me. My heart went out to these elderly people, many of whom had alzheimer's disease and didn't really know where they were or what they were doing most of the time. I earned $2.00 an hour and after three years of working in this position, I left there earning $2.10 and hour. I realized during this time in my life, after wanting to be a nurse, that I really wanted to be a teacher.

Many times I think how hard I work as a teacher for low pay, but I realize that so many people try to survive daily on minimum wage jobs.

I worked in a factory during high school and college. I'm a rare specimen, I'm sure, never having worked with food or at a retail store. I made a lot more money than my friends working at this factory--$7.50 when I left after 5 years. One thing that was tough was that some people (like my parents) were there for life. The little irritations that occurred were often blown out of proportion--I knew that I could never work for a lifetime in that factory because the repetitious atmosphere drove me insane. I really like to have a consistent schedule, but being a teacher allows me to have that consistency within a flexible environment. My parents worked extra hard to ensure that I had a college education--I was the first in 5 to graduate high school and the only in 5 to get a 4 year (and now master's) degree. The fact that my parents sacrificed so that I could have is powerful and I'm forever indebted to them for this opportunity. I just cannot ever imagine not having college and teaching as an option.