(two friends, both racked by insomnia over different issues (health and money), write one another. The elder and wealthier consoles the younger and less financially secure. Like a late night cheeseburger and five dollar shake without the Tarantino detour, but with extra special friendship sauce, American Recession Style.)

D,

I feel for you, and all young people. I’m becoming more liberal every day. My friends are very wealthy, right wing, hard core born againners and I’m honestly getting so I can’t stand to be around them. Why do people with more money than God feel the need to hammer on poor people? If I hear, “50% of the people pay no taxes” one more time I’m going to puke. I tell him it’s because fucking Wal-Mart doesn’t pay enough to live on, let alone pay taxes. This comes from a guy who brags to me that he pays no taxes. He’s so  rich he donated land he bought in San Diego in the sixties to the Latter Day Saints. Why? They pay him so much a month, tax free until he dies, and then the land is theirs. He has ranches, cotton farms, you name it, and had the balls to tell me, when I bitched about the lack of jobs for blue collar workers, “What do you mean? Wal-Mart is always hiring.”

Yes, I too worry about your son, and the sons and daughters of millions of people.

Blame the politicians. What would you do if you owned a major business and they were taxing you to death, but also giving you access to virtual slave labor in China? I blame politicians for selling us out.

When I got out of the navy in the sixties I got five jobs in one day and had to then pick what I wanted. My choices were steel mills, the rubber factories in Akron, Ohio. Union truck driving jobs etc, etc. A kid could get out of high school and make as much as his dad in the factory, with good wages and benefits. There are no more steel mills in Pittsburg, not one single tire is made in Akron and the union truck driving jobs are gone. Why? Don’t blame the greedy corporations. They are greedy, but they didn’t give other countries the lopsided trade agreements, the politicians did. And yes, of course the politicians were getting rich from lobbyist representing big business, but honest politicians would have never sold us out like we’ve been sold out.

I like Ron Paul too. However, as much as I hate abortion, I know in my heart it is a woman’s choice, not some religious right politician and his past menopause voters. I’m dead against any politician who hammers gays. I don’t give a rats ass what your sex life consists of. You can fuck the ducks on your farm for all I care. Why is our sexual preference a political issue in a free country?

Will you die poor? Maybe, but I personally think you are too much a go-getter to let that happen. As fucked up as our country is, I still think there is hope. And then I tell myself, “You are full of shit, M.  There ain’t no fucking jobs.” I go back to my little town in Ohio and am embarrassed I came from there, until I think about it. They aren’t a bunch of shabby trailer park rednecks because they want to be.

My older sister is poor as a church mouse, and so is my oldest brother. She’s 65 and still working. B is 70 and has to work. I tried to give both of them money and they got so mad I didn’t think they’d speak to me again. I now listen to my sister’s stories about how they all pull together. They share everything. She doesn’t want my condescending charity, she has real friends to share food and everything else with. The people on my street aren’t like that. I asked my rich neighbor lady if I could borrow her utility trailer. Not that I couldn’t afford to rent one, but because I needed it for an hour. She turned me down. Can you borrow a goddamn little trailer? I bet you can.

And I know it’s easy for me to talk this shit when I’m wealthy, but you really do have something that I don’t have and it’s precious.
As easy as it is for me to spew this bullshit out, I do have an idea what you think when you look at your son. What future does he have? I think that when I look at my grandkids. Somehow we have to pull our heads out of our asses and vote in some good people. More than anything we need term limits in the House and Senate. Think about that.
D, I’m sorry you are up in the middle fo the night worrying. But you do have something that outshines most people. You have a good head on your shoulders. I think you’ll be OK.
One more little story. When I divorced my wife I lost everything. I honestly believed I’d never own a house again. I had  I had a friend whose dad was a self made man. Very wealthy, very aloof. He came to me and said, “I know you think it’s the end of the world, but I know what you are made of. You will be OK, I know it.

I’m telling you the same thing.

M

Author Biography

M. Kline is a writer and a fighter living  in Texas.  He is retired and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.