Randy Rauch, of Spectrum News, penned a heart-wrenching story about a homeless couple who will likely be sleeping outdoors in the bitter cold this Christmas because the existing shelters in Orlando simply cannot accommodate everyone. James and Crystal Worthy have made a shelter for themselves on a city sidewalk, and will spend their brutally cold Christmas-time in their make-shift tent tarp-covered tent. Read Rauch’s story here.
But there’s more. What makes this story compelling is that James, a former marine, had a job recently, but his employer decided not to pay him. He hired an attorney to try and recover what he is owed, but he and his wife Crystal, won’t see a dime any time soon.
“Christmas on the sidewalk broke,” Rauch reported James as saying.
“A lady (saw) us homeless sleeping on the sidewalk and drove by and gave us a mattress,” James told him. It’s unfortunate his employer didn’t have a similar frame of mind.
So, what happened with his job?
James says three weeks ago he took a local job as a chef. He says he worked at the restaurant as hired, but the owner never paid him. He was counting on the cash for rent.
“She knew I needed that check, that first check to get ourselves off the streets into the place,” he said, and according to Rauch, James documented his employment. Too bad he can’t document a check for his work.
Wouldn’t you like to know the name of his non-paying employer? Or better yet, the name of her restaurant? Wonder how she’d feel if people ate at her place, and then refused to pay?
This story first appeared on Spectrum News13
