A Good American

The buyin' power of the proletariat's gone down
Money's gettin' shallow and weak
--Working Man's Blues #2, Bob Dylan

People who don't know how to keep themselves healthy
ought to have the decency to get themselves buried,
and not waste time about it
--Henrik Ibsen
_____________

This is the story of a small interaction while I was checking out in the cosmetics department in a drugstore.

I'll call her Margie, and she is a 50-ish manager of this large-chain store. As she rung up my orange juice she commented, "I can't afford to buy this item anymore." As I too feel the pain of weekly rising grocery prices, I said, "I don't understand how people do it."

This well-spoken women launched into a heartfelt litany of the difficulties in her life, and those of her fellows. Interrupting us was a younger co-worker going out to bring back lunch. Margie ordered a burger and Coke from, as she put it, McGrunge's.

"The Obama's tell us to eat well, but I can't afford to buy good food. Who has the time to raise a garden?" I commiserated.

I asked if she thought our legislators had any idea how the people live. "No -- they have chauffeurs and cooks; they have no worries. My car stalled on the side of the road last night. I am here because my children are driving me. I don't know how I'll afford to fix it."

I told her to inform her local representatives and she assured me she did. Her daughter works in another city in the office of an elected official and has three children. Margie said she asks her how she feeds them. I said that I didn't know what will happen in our country in the upcoming weeks and months.

She said, "I hear there's an economic recovery, but I've never heard of a jobless recovery." She said she was grateful to have a job, but couldn't recall a more difficult time. We both agreed that Obama's focus on his health care initiative was wrong-headed in a time when we need radical job creation.

We touched on the section 8 Housing Program, which provides rental subsidies to people with low incomes. The program helps offset housing costs for people who often pay 50% or more of their income on their housing needs.

However, in our area the program is currently working on rolls from three years ago (2007), and doesn't anticipate opening up for new applicants any time soon. When they do open, the news gets out in a sketchy manner, and spaces are filled in days. They then close for another few years due to the backlog and lack of funds.

The saddest thing she said was simply in passing, but very seriously:

"I think people are getting very depressed. I think they will commit suicide when they get desperate enough."

There were now two customers in line behind me. I told her it was a pleasure to meet another person who cared about politics and the direction of her country.

With the same equanimity she had maintained throughout our conversation, she said, 'Thank you, darlin'. Come see me anytime -- I'm almost always here."


[Cross-posted at Big Brass Blog]