I’m all for charity and giving to those less fortunate. I’m even more for large companies that lend a helping hand to those in need. What I don’t like is when those companies brag about it just to make a name for themselves.
I’m referring to a well-known insurance company who recently brought media attention to itself when it decided to help a working mother out. According to the story in the paper this woman, who has a child and works three jobs, was told by a body shop that she shouldn’t be driving her old vehicle when she took the car into their shop for repairs. The story doesn’t elaborate on how old her car was or what was wrong with it. I can only assume that they felt it was unsafe for her to drive.
So now this woman with her child, whom she just so happens to drive to school (why the kid doesn’t take a school bus like any other kid, I don’t know) is left without a car. She has three jobs but now is without a way to get to any of them (of course I happen to know that there is indeed public transportation in this woman’s city–but I guess that’s beside the point). I also would like to think that she is making more than minimum wage at least ONE of the jobs; again, I can only assume. For all I know she works at McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. But with three jobs and the fact that she did have a car at one point (albeit a probable piece of shit), I’m left to wonder how she could not afford another vehicle.
But here comes the good ol’ mighty Corporate America Insurance Company to save the day! Yes, along with a program that had offered this woman and her child temporary shelter when their housing situation became “uncertain” (I can read that to mean just about anything–abusive situation, possible eviction, foreclosure, fire–who knows?), the Insurance Company and a body shop working with the insurance company got together and provided this woman with a “refurbished” vehicle. Yes, people, this woman’s piece of shit car was replaced with another piece of shit car. The Insurance Company had obtained the vehicle through a policyholder. Which tells me the vehicle was not just “given” by the policyholder; the Insurance Company “bought” the vehicle because it was deemed a total loss. Then the body shop fixed it up–”refurbished” it–and PRESTO! Now this woman is driving around in a salvaged piece of shit! Yeah! I hope she’s getting a deal from the Insurance Company on the auto coverage. And I hope she can afford the gas (they decided to give her a van–yes, a big gas guzzling VAN). Now I don’t know how old this van is but I can tell you this much: they don’t make the model any longer! So she’ll probably be back in that same body shop by New Year’s with that refurbished piece of shit wondering if the wonderful Insurance Company will come through for her again with another piece of salvaged shit…
That’s all your sweet charity at work. I hope the Insurance Company enjoys the free publicity.
bunchesofos
