I only met him once. He came to one of our meetings. An unemployment support group meeting, the name of which I won't say.
He was ten or so years younger than me. Like so many had hit a patch of bad luck a few years ago.
A very bad patch.
His wife had terminal cancer.
He was working for the township in the water/sewer department if I remember correctly.. At lunch he would run home to check on her, make sure she had her meds and whatever else was needed.
To save time he used the township vehicle, so he wouldn't have to run back to the office, swap for his car, run home, back to the office and back in the township car for the rest of his day.
His wife eventually passed away.
A short time later he was fired from his township job. For using their vehicle for personal business. For using it to run home at lunch and check on his wife.
Because he was terminated for cause, he couldn't collect unemployment. And in this current economy he couldn't get re-employed.
He had lost nearly everything and was losing his home.
When he was talking that night I thought this was a man in real trouble. I thought I had it rough.
He never came to another meeting.
Earlier tonight we learned a few weeks ago he put a pistol to his head and gave up.
Had we realized it was that bad any of us would have tried to reach out and talk to him. That's one of the reasons this group exists. To help each other get through this.
But we missed it.
And to a person were stunned to learn so.
Even now I still don't know his name. He was the gent that sat in that chair next to his buddy that night.
But I can still see his face.
I know his is not the only story like this.
Washington doesn't see his face. They don't know his story. They don't care. They're more worried about ten year old tax returns, who was running what when. Forcing us over the fiscal cliff if one side or the other doesn't give in. Who raised more money than who last month. More worried about getting the people to vote for them than worried about the people themselves.
This is not the America Our Fathers' left us.
When the weekly initial claims stats come out today, and the monthly stats early next month, keep in mind this man was never counted as unemployed. He was terminated for cause and couldn't collect so he never counted as unemployed/underemployed.
As far as the government is concerned, he didn't exist. Didn't fit their narrative and was of no use to them.
And even though this is what their inaction and intransigence is driving too many to. . .
THEY DON'T CARE
NOT A FUCKIN' ONE OF THEM.
But I can still see his face.
Even if I never knew his name.
3 comments:
A short time later he was fired from his township job. For using their vehicle for personal business. For using it to run home at lunch and check on his wife.
Because he was terminated for cause, he couldn't collect unemployment.
Warren's boss has been ragging on him for going home mid-day to assist Jackie -- too personal for me to provide any details in a public forum except to say that not to go home would endanger her life and be downright cruel. If such cruelty were visited upon an animal, PETA and the ASPCA and the media would be swarming all over the place. As things are now, Warren is on his own.
Govts DON'T CARE
People care.
Institutions LOSE connectivity and care as they grow. They put in place policies, and 'business logic' which inhibits even the people who otherwise might commit acts of sense and caring, but for their fear of violating policies, and end up just like the people they see who they need to serve.
Only individual people we know care.
CAN CARE.
INDIVIDUAL.
Those things we lovingly and freely do to help each other are lost in institutions, or communities as they become purposed for those we don't know, and require coercion from us, and paid help to administer.
Human nature.
These things I understand and accept. My larger point being that while there is real pain problems and suffering going on in America at large our government officials don't care or notice except as how it affects and how they cn use it to secure another term for themselves. And it doesn't matter whether they have an R or a D behind their name. At least that's how I see it.
This hit a raw nerve with me, bviously. I wrote it when the news was still fresh and still processing it.
As I've said before I've had a number of friends murdered in cold blood, young acidental deaths, too. And 2 suicides (besides this gent).
And while you always remember each one of them, and where you were when you heard the news, it's the suicides that will always haunt you. They do me, anyway.
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