Tori: Making it on Her Own

I had lunch with Tori today and during out conversation, she told me a friend of hers took her out to dinner the other night. Then she tells me that he bought her two dinners; one to eat at dinner and one to take home for the next day.

That's when you know how poor you really are.

Tori is in her second year at Texas State. She lived on campus last year and this year she's sharing an apartment with 3 other students. What is surprising to many is that she is TOTALLY paying her own way. Steve and I have pitched in less than $500 for her college education in the last two years.

This semester she is taking 23 hours. She works from 8-12 M-F at a job she hates but the hours work out good for her. Then she takes classes from 2-9 M-Thursday. She applies for every grant or loan she can to help her out and pays the rest on her own. She occasionally asks her father for help, but he's promised and not delivered twice in the last two years; leaving her in horrible binds where we had to scramble to come up with tuition.

This semester she spent over $500 of her own accumulated earnings on books and still could not afford all the books for every class. She has to try to get study dates so she has a book to look over. She's so broke she qualifies and gratefully accepts food stamps; but not enough to actually feed her all month.

Her puppy ate most of her shoes and for weeks she was wearing shoes that were taped/glued together and would leave pieces behind her when she walks. She's so broke she can't afford the gas to drive home and visit us on the weekend -- and we live less than 30 minutes away.

She's so broke and goes without so many meals that all the other students feed her and take her out to eat. Now THAT is broke.

Tori rescheduled an exam and spent money to drive to Brady to support me when Becky was buried. In a car that has no AC and the windows don't roll down on.

I don't share this because I want everyone to feel bad for Tori. I share it because she is the most amazing person I know. I never went to college on my own. I wouldn't even know how to fill out grant or loan applications to do so. And regardless of how bad she has it, Tori never complains.

I meet her for lunch each Tuesday and buy her cheap Mc D's. I give her $20 for gas, which sometimes is hard to come by. But she always needs it worse than I do. Yet, every time I call her she is smiling and joking. She calls money found in unexpected places "God Money". She is excited and happy every week when I give her the measly little twenty. Always happy to see us and gives us hugs and kisses. If I ever text or ring her, she immediately responds with concern . . . "Is everything okay?".

She never complains about her POS (piece of shit) car -- which she paid for herself. She doesn't expect us to fix it or buy her a new one. We do pay her insurance; but she does data entry for my business for the cost.

And it's not like she's almost through school or will be done in a year or two. Tori is looking at 6 years of college; another 4 more after she completes this one.

I find it hard to believe she came from me. That part of my blood runs in her veins. Her dedication, determination, drive . . . lots of "d" words. Maybe I should have named her "D"ori. :)

While she's facing the world with a "can do" spirit, I wish there was more I "could do" for her. I see parents that give their kids everything; new car, paid education, fancy clothes, apartment, spending money. And most of the time I don't think their children are as deserving as Tori is.

When are children are young, we brag about everything they do. As our children get older, we don't brag as much. Tonight, I felt the need to brag a little.

I love you kiddo!