Choices

Last night I went to the grocery store to pick up a couple things so I could make pizza for dinner, as I'd promised. It's good to have crusts and cheese when you promise that - just a little tip for you.

Anyway, at the checkout, there were two guys with a few items ahead of me. I forget what all was there, but the one who was paying didn't have enough in his account to cover the $5.00 worth of stuff they wanted to get. He called the other guy over from where he was staring at the empty boxes (this is a no extras type store, so you have to either bring bags, buy them there or use the cardboard boxes provided). Guy Who Was Paying was fingering a cheap plastic dollar-store foozball game, likely a $1.00 item, but the other guy came over and decided they would put back the potato chips ($0.97).

So, here's what I'm thinking: you have less then $5 to your name. You need to eat in order to live. Why would you choose a cheap toy over food, even crappy food? Which is another question isn't it? If you have less than $5 to your name, wouldn't you buy 10 pounds of potatoes - which will last longer and can be prepared in a variety of ways and which will fill the tummy - instead of a small bag of chips which wouldn't even make a proper snack for two grown men?

OK, I've seen a lot of this around here.

1. The people I used to babysit for had filed for bankrupcy a few months earlier. They had to depend on his parents to get the kids' new winter coats. They have satellite TV. It's more expensive that basic cable.

2. DD was once invited to a birthday party where there were 3 birthday kids. They all shared a bedroom, with only mattresses on the floor. There were a couple toys. There were 3 adults living in the house. They all smoked a pack a day. $7 per pack times 3 people times 7 days = $147 per week, $588.00 per month. Each kid could have a proper bed in 3 months, if they go to Ikea. They were all on disability too.

Now, before you think I'm going all DonnaLynn on you, let me explain. I don't think lower income types are sitting around collecting money and subsidies because they're lazy. I'm more inclined to think it'a a "Shocked Rat" thing. I refuse to be the shocked rat, myself, but I have the feeling that these are people who have been beaten down so far so often that they don't feel they can ever get up. I can't not fight, but that's in my blood (let me tell you about my family sometime). Born into a different family, where would I be?

I had parents who loved me and who cared. Many of these people didn't. Example: the mother of kids I babysat had a very lonely childhood. She says she wants better for her kids. Her kids get love, which is better than some around here. But still, maybe the XBox was a bit expensive. They might have used the money for something boring and practical. Like dental work. Just trust me - it's not a cosmetic issue, either.

I stayed in one school district for the whole time I was in school. Many of these people moved around. That interferes with learning. DH moved around a lot, too. He still doesn't read very much or (according to him) very well, which is another reason I appreciate him reading to DS. Despite that, DH had a supportive family. Without that, where would he be?

Someone complained the other day that the middle class gets nothing. You have to be rich or poor to get anything. I live here with all the poor people and I'm here to tell you that that is a ridiculous assertation. Even the poor people can't get stuff. Our inner-city school was due to be re-built, but that's been put off and put off again. Why? Because no-one cares about this area, not even the people who live here.

I'm ranting, aren't I?

OK, the point is some people here have given up trying to have a better life. They don't even bother to think long-term, because what's the point of having plans if something's just going to come along and screw it all up? So grab what you can while you can - satellite TV, a video game system, chips. They're too stupid for training anyway, right? And where would they get a job if they did get training, right? Everyone always told them they'd never amount to anything. And look - they were right.