Joe the plumber and then some…
In the past week, three of my NYC friends have lost their jobs. One is an investment banker. One’s in fashion. And another is a waitress.
It’s scary.
Are they married with families?
The investment banker is. The fashion friend is. The waitress isn’t.
It’s scary for all of them. The kind of scary where you think about selling your apartment or home and moving out of the City.
But where do you go?
As I watched the debate this morning (DVR’d it from last night), an almost panic-like feeling set-in. McCain and Obama can debate healthcare, education, national security, environmental issues… but all I can think of are my 3 friends, and what they certainly represent across the country.
We’re talking unemployment. With that, of course, the health and education of their children is impacted in a way that is almost indescribable. Where national security was such an important issue in our last elections, the economy has superceeded this. But I still remember my best friend who enlisted in the Marines and died in Iraq in November of 2004. My mind is on overdrive. Empathy. Compassion. Things are serious, as we all know.
As for my friends, they are determined, driven, smart individuals. They are survivors. They will get jobs. It may be difficult. It may be unexpected. But they will move on.
Today, I’m thinking about Joe the plumber from Ohio. And about my dear friends. Thinking…
It is scary times. I was not reassured either.
It is scary I agree. I can’t imagine how vulnerable your friends feel right now. And I’m sorry to hear about about your friend who died in Iraq.
It’s hard, true. I have a friend who’s husband is a plumber who is struggling..no not in Ohio. They are survivors as well. Not reassured at all…but hopeful in who they are as a family unit. I pray that we all can have hope in a bigger picture while figuring out the details.
I was watching the debate on TV. Funny how I seem to be more interested in American politics than our own! We just had our election on Tues.
Anyway, you are right. It IS scary to think of the reality of unemployment and how vulnerable every day people are.
This is a bit different, but I am self-employed (I teach ESL and have foreign students study here and live with us) and now that I have been put on bed rest with this pregnancy, that means I cannot have students. I’m not allowed to do ANYTHING…not even go up and down stairs! No students=no income. THAT is scary…especially with a baby on the way. Hubby is a farmer, and now I can’t even help him on the farm because we don’t want Baby to arrive a few months too early!!
Bill’s company laid off a ton of people-luckily he is heading up this huge job in AL right now, and very important, so he wasn’t let go, even though they were letting go top people with high salaries like him. As much as I have hated having to live here and I was humbled when I realized being down here saved my husband’s job and our lifestyle. I don’t mind AL so much anymore