Jackson Free Press

Brotha Hustle: "It's been a while since members of the Hustle family have come together for Thanksgiving. It's really nice to see familiar faces, like my second cousin Gracie Hustle, former all-star point guard for the Cootie Creek Community College ladies basketball team. In her prime, she was the female version of 'Earl the Pearl' Monroe. Her loyal fans nicknamed her 'Amazing Gracie.' Too bad the Women's National Basketball Association didn't exist during the '70s; she would have been the star player, coached a winning WNBA team, and retired with Hall of Fame honors.

"But fate guided 'Amazing Gracie' to a different destiny. Upon graduation from college, Gracie worked 27 years as head bookkeeper for Fearless Fred's Fine Furniture Warehouse. When Obama became president, Fearless Fred got scared during the recession and gave my cousin the pink slip.

"Being laid off after working for 27 years devastated Gracie. She persevered and worked three odd jobs, while on unemployment benefits. The shame of being jobless forced her to hide from family members for almost a year. And she was almost homeless, Aunt Tee-Tee and I happened to find Gracie working as a part-time greeter at Y'all Mart. We snatched our cousin out of Y'all Mart and provided her with free computer training at the Aunt Tee Tee Technical Institute for Middle Age and Senior Citizens.

"This holiday, Gracie is very thankful for her recent career change. Today, she's a business analyst for the Crunchie Burga World franchise.

Previous Comments

ID

153699

Comment

As a former employee of the Employment Commission and keeper of the law, I want to know if Amazing Gracie reported the wages she made while getting unemployment proceeds and working 3 jobs simultaneously? Working is supposed to replace or reduce your unemployment benefits. She may have broken the law, but she can pay any undeserved monies back. Surely Fearless Fred doesn't want the proceeds he paid into the unemployment commisssion wrongfully expended as that may increase the amount he has to pay next year. I wish Amazing Gracie te best, and am so glad y'all got her out of Y'all Mart. Y'all Mart is not only rich, but cheap, stingy and has camera, security and spies everwhere. And if you break the line and cuss while at Y'All Mart, you'll get prosecuted and have to cop a plea to avoid a felony and possible jail time. Y'all Mart doesn't play, yet I'm headed over there in a few minutes to pick up some cheap Christmas stuff. You're on the list, Ken. Merry Christmas even if your Christmas present gets lost in the mail.

Author

Walt

Date

2009-11-28T15:29:23-06:00

ID

153995

Comment

I admire Amazing Gracie's ability to survive. She did what she had to do, or suffer in the cold, cold world of poverty and homelessness. Seems like nobody wins in a slow economy. Merry Christmas to you Walt! And I hope I'm on the good list instead of the other kind of list...lol! Thanks for your response and the points you made. It lets me know that folk are reading and thinking.

Author

Stiggers

Date

2009-12-04T09:51:11-06:00