Mimi A Pseudonym, Well Over 60

 

By Susan Mitchell

 

After earning a BA in Liberal Arts from Indiana University and being one semester shy of a graduate degree in Folklore, Mimi moved from Bloomington to Key West 40 years ago. 

 

 

Here she lists a series of jobs including setting up the first personnel department at the Pier House, mail carrier, special education teacher, nursery school teacher, post office worker, Fast Buck Freddy’s retail worker, Key West Library worker and working at Walgreens. Currently unemployed, Mimi said she wouldn’t be homeless if she could find a job right now. “It’s not that I don’t want to work, I just got very discouraged. The first thing I think of is they don’t want me because of my age and that kind of brings you down a little bit. I haven’t looked for months,” said Mimi.  A Florida State Pension from working at the library and Social Security goes toward rent so her husband and cat won’t be homeless, too. Mimi said her former landlord has dementia and was accusing Mimi of stealing from her. “The poor thing accused me of stealing half her clothes and $4,000. I didn’t have access to her clothes or money,” said Mimi. The landlord had no issues with Mimi’s husband of 20 years or their cat, so they have housing while Mimi has been residing at the KOTS homeless shelter for five months while saving money for first month, last month and security deposit for a new place. Mimi said her husband feels much worse than she does about her their housing situation. The apartment is only $500 per month, so she refused to seek legal remedies to regain her former housing.  They are looking up the Keys and look forward to biking to Key West since their primary transportation is a bicycle.  Mimi said she is confident they will save enough money and find a place within six more months. 

 

 

Mimi said she’s grateful KOTS is here because it’s clean and safe. She volunteers every day at KOTS. She began cleaning the dorms and was promoted to laundry. Mimi does the laundry from 7:30 a.m., sometimes until 1:30 p.m., every day.  She then goes to the Senior Citizens Center for lunch. After lunch, she meets with her husband at the Senior Center or the Polish Market. 

 

 

Mimi sleeps in a bunk bed in the women’s dorm and has made several close friends. “We’ve often likened it to a sorority house because we sit in bed as we fall asleep and chatter, chatter, chatter,” said Mimi. 

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