Evicted: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Arleen is being evicted in one day and is still waiting for her welfare check. She was unable to give her sons any Christmas gifts. Within her family, only her Aunt Merva has enough money for things as “frivolous” as that. Arleen knows she can only turn to Merva in a real crisis, and this eviction doesn’t count. Sherenna brings the new tenant to look at Arleen’s apartment, and on hearing that Arleen doesn’t have anywhere to go after the eviction, the new tenant says she and the boys can stay with her in the meantime. 

Alreen thanks her and hugs her, and both women cry. The new tenant’s name is Crystal Mayberry. She doesn’t own any furniture, which is perhaps why she let Arleen—and her furniture—stay. Crystal is 18, the child of two crack users who grew up in foster care. She left high school at 16, and is on SSI due to her bipolar disorder. She has been homeless in the past. Crystal’s offer to help Arleen reflects a long tradition of poor people depending on one another to “stay afloat.”

This tradition has been partially dismantled by problems such as mass incarceration and the crack epidemic, as well as government initiatives that reward people for living on their own (rather than in extended kinship networks). As people find it harder and harder to rely on family members, they make “disposable ties” with acquaintances and strangers. One day, a week after Crystal moves in, Arleen sits at the kitchen table circling apartment listings. Jori comes in from school, and Arleen scolds him; she has already received a call about him acting up. Jori tries to protest, but Arleen will not hear it.

Arleen goes out looking for apartments, and while she is out she gets a screaming call from Crystal demanding that she move out immediately. Arleen believes Crystal is really angry because she is hungry, so she spends her food stamps on meat, potato chips, and soda to bring back. She returns to find Jori and Crystal fighting. Soon Arleen and Crystal begin yelling at each other. Crystal claims that she wishes God had not made her a loving person, but she is filled with the Holy Ghost and thus cannot turn away Arleen and her kids. Arleen believes it is in fact the food that has changed her mind. Later, she apologizes to Jori for failing to let him know she was on his side.