You Do What You Have to Do by cogdogblog
posted 14 Jan ’09, 10.37pm MST PST on flickr
Driving down to Phoenix tonight I stopped at a local Circle-K for some coffee and bottled water. I was surprised that the guy at the check out register was Dave, the guy I usually see down the street at his own store, the local dry-cleaners.
This is what I am liking about being in a small town, a decrease in the sad anonymity of The City.
I smiled, raised and eyebrow, and asked, "Double shifting it. eh?"
He returned the smile and said quickly, "You do what you have to do… Actually the cleaner business is picking up and I was able to hire back my assistant who needs the work. I feel good about that."
So here is the 2009 American Dream. Start your own business, and spend your evenings working the register at a convenience store to make your mortgage payments. Or do it to get by and at the same tie, give a hand out to help someone else up.
It’s the second day in a row I feel overwhelmed at my good fortune.
I have a good paying job working al day from home on my computer. I don’t have to work another 7 hours at a store to pay bills or eat.
Something sure needs to change in this country for people to aim for and achieve real dreams. Our previous leadership was not there at all to support the dreams of the Daves of the world (it was more like lining the fat pockets of the Todds and Amandas of the country club) and only paid Dave lip service to swipe his vote.
Shouldn’t we be "mad as hell" yelling out the windows at the snakes who did (and may still be) profiting from our down turn? I would be, yet I am still confused as to the how, why, and when, and at the same time, thinking, it’s too late, it’s done.
And yet, I don’t want to be just another person talking about the colors of the falling sky; the cloud of pessimism seems omnipresent; I want to avoid falling into the realm of "there is not much use in being anything else".
I just have to admire that kind of determination and can do attitude I picked up on tonight. No despair, no anger, no resentment, just acceptance yet not resignation.
You do what you have to do… or what?
