Aliens in South Florida 1980 A Weekend Freewrite

“Who would have thought that a simple trip to the grocery store for my wife would have resulted in this?”

This would be my ex husband talking. He had never really shopped before he met me, and now we had a big trip every payday. I was a coupon queen in those days and shopped by the sales. I planned the trip when the ad came out. We went to the 24 hour grocery after dinner at midnight on every other Friday night.

Coming home at 2 or 3 AM we had a full trunk. The backseat was stuffed with bags he was always amazed to see. His mom was someone who would go to the store for a few things a day, cook that, and then there was nothing until tomorrow. I had a plan for every meal and all the food needed for the entire two weeks. Plus pantry supplies, cleaning, and beauty.

I would send him off to find things in the empty store with the appropriate coupon in hand. It was not such a simple trip for him. Then at the end of a couple of hours we might have two carts and a three foot long receipt. All that was left was to get everything into the house and put away and then the weekend was here.

“when the aliens come get me this Saturday”

This would be something some of our neighbors might say. We were living in South Florida in the time of the Marielitos coming from Cuba in boats, and Haitians washing up on the beach. It was pretty much a daily news story and people were afraid of these alien people that were invading our shores.

They were all criminals and thugs, and were to be feared. Lock your doors. There was a special detention center for them and don’t go anywhere near it if you valued your safety. My mother wanted me to come home from this dangerous place.

I worked at a car dealership as the service cashier. Early one Saturday morning, I got called to the Sales Manager’s office because I spoke French. Since I am from Canada, everyone thinks I speak French. At that time I did have a bit of French, but it was from time in Europe; not Canada.

Standing there in the office, were two very dark men in wet clothes. They had to have come up from the beach that day. Now they were looking for work. But at first, I did not know what to think. The clothes were almost formal. Old fashioned clothes like my dad would wear to the office, but damp.

They looked so tired, but determined. They had no English, had just voyaged across the sea, somehow escaped detection, and now still wet, were wandering city streets looking for work. This is when I stopped being afraid of these aliens.

These two did not get a job though, and were sent on down the road to their fate.

“that dirty window”

That dirty window I looked out of while I watched the men leave was something they gratefully would have cleaned. The sales manager had been appalled when I told him what they said:

“Nous cherchons du travail”

“We look for work”

When at first I did not understand their accent one said “travailler?” through dry and cracked lips I was trying to read.

I saw hope and dedication to succeed. How could these be the people I was supposed to be afraid of? If you can get off a boat with nothing, and stagger ashore to find work, you are not going to be raping anyone.

The sales manager saw a liability. “Tell them we can’t help them. They have to leave.”

The men crossed the street to the car wash.

In later days I would see them again, but they never saw me or looked up from their tasks. I watched them from our second floor lunch room as they dried and polished rich people's cars.

When one of then finally had blue jeans one day, I stopped worrying about their future and whether or not they had food to eat.

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My post is for the #freewrite weekend three prompt challenge by @mariannewest. Freewrite is a great way to post on steemit when you do not think you have the time, or talent, or anything to say. It’s a great way to start regular posting on steemit. Aside from this weekend prompt, the rest of the week has daily one-part prompts. I know you can do this too! Check out Marianne’s blog, find the latest prompt post and surprise yourself.

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Minnow tips!

Here is my latest minnow tips post if you struggle here. These tips can help you even if you are not new.
Monday Minnow Tips for Everyone from @fitinfun

Contents of the Above Post

What should I do EACH DAY on STEEM with low power?

What to do with your STEEM

Are you shooting blanks with your votes?

Should you use an autovoter?

Join qurator

Do not post to nowhere

Why bother to comment?

How and Why to use kryptonia

How to get Upvotes

For Twitter Users

How and Why to lease delegated sp

Curation Trails

Using Discord

Please Help Me Keep Helping at STEEM

Recent events have not been easy, and you can read about them here:

Situation Critical – My rent and wifi are not paid and now are both overdue

UPDATE: I am so happy and relieved to tell you that:

• my rent and a wifi top up have been paid.
• the money sent to my US paypal account has arrived, through Thailand to Malaysia!

A bigger post describing current events will be posted soon, but I want to let anyone checking on me know that the first part of the situation is solved and that at least I will not be cut off from the world without a roof over my head.

And I can afford to go to Singapore for my required visa trip. Can you go to Singapore for three days and spend a total of $75 USD? Watch me!

I am so grateful to you all.

I am dedicated to STEEM and trying hard to carry on with your help. Here are some ways you can help and I would love to hear of any suggestion you may have for me.

Send any amount of STEEM or SBD to @fitinfun

I live in the 3rd world - yes, one STEEM will help me.

Here is what you can also do to help:

Follow my blogs:

@fitinfun
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@bxlphabet is my son's blog, and I am so grateful he has returned.

We post on Busy most days, where their upvote for us is based on the collective SP of our followers. We follow back, because we love you.

Put my blogs on your curation trail

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Delegate SP to any of us

Upvote any of our older posts which are close to payout.

If you can "only" vote some posts - It is enough.
If you can "only" send 1 STEEM - It is enough.
If you can "only" offer advice for how I can do better - It is enough.
If you can "only" offer encouragement and good wishes - It is enough.

If you can do more and think my presence here has value, I hope and pray you will.

This is the power of STEEM.

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It is almost Super Bowl Sunday. Statistics say that only 5% of people with health resolutions for the New Year will still be on track. Is your fitness equipment still out handy, and are you still on a "diet?"

I lost "Half My Size" eight years ago by using natural methods. I started on December 5th and did not give up. You can do it too!

This is Sharon @fitinfun. I am posting:

• Healthy Food Ideas on @fitinfunfood

• Motivation Minnow Tips and Everything Else on @fitinfun

• @bxlphabet is posting Southern California,steemmonsters, and dtube videos.

Please follow along or contact me directly if you would like some individual help with weight loss and health. Anyone can do this if I did.

And be sure to fitinfun no matter what.