MCKINNEY, Texas — Thomas Ruiz last played his guitar at Duino Coffee shop in McKinney 17 days ago. That was back when he was a federal worker. not getting paid. The EPA worker of more than five years had gone there to make some money to help feed his family of six.
"I came here looking for a job," Ruiz said.
He was back again on Friday, with his guitar at the McKinney coffee shop. But this time, he was taking all donations and coffee proceeds to a food pantry in Plano.
Ruiz told WFAA that he went to Minnie's Food Pantry on Monday to pick up boxes meant to help federal workers who were furloughed. He said this was his way of "giving back."
WFAA met up with him in his home on Friday as he heard President Trump say the federal government will re-open temporarily. It meant he would finally get to go back to work this Monday and start receiving paychecks again.
“But I’m really afraid of what’s going to happen in the next three weeks," Ruiz said. "In terms of coming to a solution or shutting down the government again."
Ruiz said he played music semi-professionally when he was younger. He sounded eager to turn back to music again during a difficult time.
"Stress, work, demands, kids...it all comes at me," Ruiz said. "Music is something off to the side that I can embrace."
He said his songs are not political, but you cannot help but hear the message in the chorus of one of his songs: "You can't always get what you want," by the Rolling Stones.
On Friday night, he was in the company of coworkers, people he'll get paid to work with starting again – finally – on Monday.
