Hungry

Caught some footage of people standing in line for food.

American soldiers are now visiting food banks and so are people who are employed by the government and haven’t received a paycheck since the shut down.

Not to mention the air traffic controllers who are now quitting.

But, it called to mind seeing food lines in 3rd World countries and thinking:

“Glad that doesn’t happen in America.”

I was a kid back then. As it turns out, I had a warped understanding of what being American meant.

Yet, it called to mind the times when I didn’t have all the money I may have needed.

I was never close to starving, but the college days were rough.

We never had money!

If we somehow scored a bag of Doritos and a tub of chip dip, we were thrilled.

We ate a lot of boxed macaroni and cheese. It had to be check day if we could add a little hamburger.

And we were never in danger of not eating because we had a meal plan, and we also grew fond of saying:

“There’s a pork chop in every bottle!” As we held a beer aloft.

There were other times, for sure, when money was tight, and choices had to be made.

I learned a lot about eating well on the cheap from my Dad, who taught me to make a lot of dishes that weren’t costly.

I still think of it when I’m making a big batch of macaroni and beans or pasta and peas.

Of course, I have empathy for people who are choosing their food very carefully right now, and not because they don’t want to work…

…but because someone is using them as a pawn in a political game.

American troops at food banks?

American citizens standing in line to get handouts?

Thankfully, we aren’t in that situation, but I most certainly feel for those who are suffering.

Last week, someone leapt to their death from the Skyway here in Buffalo.

When I heard the story, I considered that we may hear a lot of sad, sad stories.

God, I hope not!

But desperation explodes into pain, and hunger is a powerful driver of desperation.

In another, unrelated story, Google the seafood spread at Mar A Lardo this weekend…

…they had a fancy gathering after 18 holes of golf…

…paid for by American taxpayers.