Down and out in America

We're living on a knife edge, all of us. No matter how safe you think you are, disaster could strike and there might be no one to bail you out.

This is a story about a wonderful country, America, and how cruel it can be to the down and out. We are that way because that's how we want to be. We live under a common belief that, through hard work and perseverance, anyone can achieve the American Dream. Well, that just isn't so.

Despite prosperity that's the envy of the world; despite a populace that's mostly kind and generous; we're guided by that old philosophy of rugged individualism -- and so are many of our institutions.

What put me in this dark mood was a personal situation. We know a homeless man. His name is George Kramer.

George in happier days.

George was sleeping in the back seat of his old Toyota Camry, parked in a Walmart parking lot in Hagerstown MD, until Walmart decided to change its live-and-let-live policies and chase the homeless people away.

This they did without warning. When the tow truck had George's car on the lift and he asked to get his stuff out, his phone was the only thing they let him take. Everything else -- ID, meds, papers, personal effects, his very clothes -- went off with the wrecker. Now the car sits in a lot somewhere, possessions still (presumably) locked inside, and George is on the street. Last night it went down to 24 degrees Fahrenheit.

Plus, the meter is still running. It's up to $700+ today, and rising $50 each and every day henceforth.

Save Money. Live Better.®

But even if $700 fell out of the sky, George would have a hard time getting the car back. The registration has expired and he has no money to renew it. He has nowhere to park and no money to pay for storage. If I'm not mistaken, he can't even drive legally because his license expired too.

He has no cash, no credit. He lives on food stamps and the meagerest of Social Security checks -- meager because he was compelled to file at age 62. A word of advice: never file at 62 unless you're as desperate as George. The benefit is bupkes and it stays that way the rest of your livelong life.

There's more. George no longer can work, at all. His back is killing him. Constantly. Plus he has other maladies and conditions.

Luckily he's finally on Medicare. Ah Medicare my love, the best health insurance since Blue Cross in the '60s. While I stand by my criticism of our minimal safety net, Medicare is an exception. What a wonderful feeling to saunter out of a doctor's office past the checkout desk and get a cheery smile instead of a bill.

But back to George.

Time was when he was doing fine. He's a master carpenter of great talent. He has made furniture for us, two beautiful red oak banisters for our staircase, many other things. Not only that, he can fix anything -- electrical, plumbing, you name it. He says painting is the one thing he won't do, but he has painted for us too.

And he's a great guy.. He's always fun to talk to -- up on public affairs, knowledgeable about investing, and you can ask him anything about the Washington Nationals and he'll have the answer. He may have started as a tradesman but he's become our friend.

He's always had back problems though. At a point, his back began hurting too much to work. He had to cut back to sporadic handyman jobs. He sought medical attention but without health insurance, without an income, without much safety net to speak of, that's a tough go in the United States of America.

I know I sound unpatriotic but I'm not. I love this country. I just wish sometimes it could be kinder.

As I've asserted, we live on a knife edge.

My wife and I are among the lucky ones. We have resources, we have means, we have a great credit rating. The longer I live though, the more I'm aware that the money is there for one overriding reason: to never never NEVER get into a pickle like George's. He has fallen off. I don't see how he'll ever climb back on.

Frank S Joseph Author

P.S. I've created a GoFundMe page for George. The goal is not to make him rich; nothing could do that. It's to alleviate the worst of his problems and maybe, just maybe, buy him time to find a better, safer, more independent, more dignified way to live. Here's the link in case you want to send him a few bucks: https://gofund.me/bc4dbf4a.

P.P.S. My novel To Do Justice has a publication date at last! April 9! There are two launch parties schedule in the Washington suburbs and you're all invited. I'll have a lot more news real soon, but here's a heads-up. Stand by for more, soon.