Troy and Trinity

Learning disabled, hopelessly unemployed

Troy can't write the address for his next interview.

Warehouse stock, 331 Tiffany Street, in the Bronx.

His girlfriend, Trinity, also unemployed,

with one child by Troy. She's more resourceful

but doesn't realize it. For one month

she worked an evening cashier job until her mother

refused to babysit at night. Wants to go out, live

her life, too. Trinity made numerous appointments

yesterday, can write and find the addresses o.k.

Troy has nowhere to live, has been crashing

with a woman in the Bronx. She's on public assistance,

they share the bed. How Troy reconciles this woman

with Trinity doesn't matter. Survival precedes love.

Troy can't meet the rent although she gives him

subway fare. He dresses well enough in the youthful

style, dark shirt, thin dark tie. At least no sneakers

and saggy pants or skinny jeans. Smokes cigarettes

but so do a lot of people. Hedging bets on life.

Trinity is tolerant of Troy. Understands his

predicament. No stable home, no money. How

does she feel about her kid? At least she has

someone to love her now. Troy forgets

to record the names and phone numbers of companies

he applies at. Burned out on angel dust. Wants

a job that pays and offers benefits. Too old

and desperate for a work experience/basic education

program. Needs a living wage, not a stipend.

But can't read or write or even speak coherently.

Interestingly he's not desperate enough to work fast food

at age 22. So the woman on public assistance is

a surer source of income than we think. Good.

Security guard may be the way to go with Troy.

No police record, requires no writing skills, just

stand there and be big. A job with no security

for the guard. Troy's mother threw him out

four years ago, although she helps out now and then.

He dropped out of high school in the tenth grade

kicked around the house and streets two years

doing drugs and partying. Met Trinity, got her pregnant.

Does Trinity have a contraceptive in place?

We don't know. As employment counselors, is that

our business? Only if Trinity brings it up. On

the bulletin board there's plenty of information

about family planning clinics. When she lost that

cashier job, I was completely frustrated, but not Trinity.

Takes it all in stride. I gotta admire her cheerfulness,

but why shouldn't she be happy? She has friends, family,

a community such as Hell's Kitchen is, not the worst,

and a purpose for living and acting in her kid.

She feeds the baby, negotiates living space with her mother.

Troy and Trinity wake up, late August morning,

hot and humid New York City. They have interviews

planned as well as personal business and pleasures

today. They have responsibilities, society puts

survival on them, never mind their disadvantages.

It is tough and it is good. Trinity will land

another cashier position, maybe today. Troy

will go for security jobs, I figured it out, the

uniform will make him feel better, the check

too. The work boring, easy, slow, perhaps fulfilling.