The Faces Of Hunger (Take Eight): Return To The Blessings Box (UPDATED: 10/1/24)

 

<"Mismatched Expectations"/The Reckoner>

<i.>

This week's been a tough one. Thanks to two hefty utility bills that we just had to pay -- $115 for the phone here (Ka-ching!), $225 for the electric there (Ka-ching!), the Squawker and I wound up with barely $65 in our so-called bank account. Subtract $15 for gas (Ka-ching!), and $20 for miscellaneous food items (Ka-ching, ka-ching!), and you're looking at a pretty lean weekend,, till your next pittance arrives on Monday.

Wait, I take that back. I'll need most, if not nearly all of that, for the insurance (Ka-ching!), which now hovers around $145 a month. It's funny, I can remember the days when $95 per month seemed like a lot, about five or so years ago. Guess those were the good old days, even if we didn't realize it at the time.

But this is the marked deck that's been handed to us. Well, not all of us -- one major irritation lately is watching all the over-endowed gatecrashing the dollar stores that Squawker and I often must visit, out of necessity. I can't tell you how often I'm stuck in line behind them, as they painstakingly empty the carts they've stacked to the rafters, peeling off children's clothes, kitschy decorative trinkets (like wind chimes), cleaning supplies, and God knows what else, as they drop $200, $300, even $600 at a time, I kid you not.

Every time I watch this ritual, the same thought runs through my mind: "Just where the f#ck are all these people getting so much money?" Because, clearly, anyone who can drop 200 or 300 bucks at a time on their bargain shopping runs isn't bothered about their electric or phone bill, I'll tell you that much.

So, amid all that pressure, a return to the Blessings Box seemed in order today. For those who aren't regular readers, I'm referring to a box that the local Methodist church has set up, where anyone can donate unwanted or surplus items, which all comers can take, no questions asked. (For further reference, see Take Seven in this series.) 

Last week had been pretty barren, but we were nearing the end of our mindless domestic errands, so it seemed logical to drop by. Guess what? Our gut feelings paid off with a paper towel roll, plus six mini-boxes of Kellogg's cornflakes; a can of soup (bean of bacon, always welcome); a 28-ounce can of tomato paste; and some hand wipes. Not bad, all things considered.

I mean, whatever you don't have to shell out from your own pocket is welcome, right? Reminds me of the Richard Pryor line from Car Wash, when his Daddy Rich character declaims, about ready cash:

"It is better to have it, 

and not need it -- 

than to need it, 

and not have it!"

<"What's In A Word?
More Than You Realize.."
Take I/The Reckoner>

<ii.>

Amen, brother, and all that, right? Something like that. Still, today's experience wouldn't have been necessary, it seems to me, if we actually had wages that didn't evaporate as soon as you received them Remember, inflation has actually decreased, from its peak of 9.1% (June 2022), to its current level of 2.5%. OK, so why aren't prices dropping, as well?

Check out the links below, and decide which one suits you best. I personally find TIME's explanation -- basically, it's the standard blather, "logistic disruptions, blah-blah-blah, supply chain problems, blah-blah-blah, Ukraine, blah-blah-blah" -- totally unconvincing. But I'm including their story out of journalistic duty (fairness and balance, and all that), whereas, the Reich links (especially his video) make way more sense.

Why? Because, as Reich notes, corporate power is the elephant in the room, one that both major parties -- by and large, except for progressive voices like AOC, Bernie Sanders, or Ron Wyden -- studiously avoid touching, at any cost. And until we the people force them to do it, things won't get any better, at least in the short run.

One interesting sub-theme in Reich's video (see below) is the use of algorithms to screw us over -- whether it's Agri-Stat, in the case of beef prices, or RealPage, with rents -- so companies can further consolidate their power through predatory pricing, stock buybacks (AKA slush funds for wealthy shareholders), and collusion among themselves, to continue squeezing the consumer.

And this, I'm guessing, is the real reason why we're not seeing any major movement on prices. OK, the fudge Graham crackers I get periodically from Dollar General have gone down a whopping 25 cents, from $2.50 to $2.25 per pack. And sure, gas has dropped from a high of $3.59 to $3.19 per gallon locally, though who knows how long that'll last, since bad actors like bin Salman and Putin can use oil as a lever to restore their preferred patsy (Trump) on his throne? 

So long as this unhealthy and unholy status quo prevails, it's safe to say that Squawker and I won't always be able to dodge a visit to the Blessing Box. Or your friendly neighborhood food pantry. And I doubt that any of us will be able start building the boat of a lifetime, any time soon. --The Reckoner

PS I should have mentioned this earlier, but I forgot -- there's a sign posted inside both sides of the box, which reads, "PLEASE DO NOT DROP OFF ANY DRY BEANS, AS NO ONE IS TAKING THEM. I HAVE TAKEN THE GIFT YOU'VE GIVEN ME, AND DONATED IT ELSEWHERE. THANK YOU!"

What's scarier? That somebody out there still thinks that poor people can't wait to eat dry beans, which end up like pebbles, if you don't know the magic trick to cook them properly? Or that folks have endless cans of them to give away? Either they haven't figured out the magic trick, or don't want to eat something like that, either. You decide.

Links To Go (AKA: It's Flag Day In Thailand

...We Have To Raise Prices...Yet Again...Today):

Robert Reich: Here's Why Food Prices Are Rising Even More:
https://robertreich.org/post/692311230329880576

Robert Reich (Video): Here's Why Prices Are Still High:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L6bjQNOZ0E

TIME: Yes, Inflation Is Going Down.
But Here's Why Prices Aren't:
https://time.com/7005553/inflation-grocery-prices-rates/

<"What's In A Word?

More Than You Realize.."

Take II/The Reckoner>