I’ll never forget one of the first families I visited. The father was a railroad man who had lost his job. I was told by my supervisor that I really … - Studs Terkel

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I’ll never forget one of the first families I visited. The father was a railroad man who had lost his job. I was told by my supervisor that I really had to see the poverty. If the family needed clothing, I was to investigate how much clothing they had at hand. So I looked into this man’s closet — (pauses, it becomes difficult) — he was a tall, gray-haired man, though not terribly old. He let me look in the closet — he was so insulted. (She weeps angrily.) He said, “Why are you doing this?” I remember his feeling of humiliation . . . this terrible humiliation. (She can’t continue. After a pause, she resumes.) He said, “I really haven’t anything to hide, but if you really must look into it. . ..” I could see he was very proud. He was so deeply humiliated. And I was, too. . ..