ABSTRACT
Forty-eight-year-old Arthur Johnson grew up poor in southeast Dallas with his mother and four younger siblings. At age 13 he dropped out of school in order to work to help provide for his family. At the age of 27 he enrolled in a trade school and became an electrician. Working 12-to 15-hour days, six days a week, he’s been able to purchase a modest house in an economically challenged neighborhood. He’s also begun to accumulate a small savings, relieving him of the burden of living paycheck to paycheck and with hopes of sending his two children to college one day. Arthur is a success story in his community, where he and his wife enjoy Sundays tending the front garden and conversing with their neighbors. His quick wit and eagerness to help have earned him close friends and many acquaintances, along with a loyal customer base. Despite a recent downturn in business, Arthur has remained upbeat, telling his wife that he’s weathered hard times before.
