Random Thoughts While Waiting

Our morning coffee discussion has become a little tedious of late.  Not enough outside stimulus as in interaction with the real rather than the virtual world.  And speaking of stimulus… that was today’s main topic.  As in how much, when, and who will be involved in those stimulus checks.  The best I can understand is that “they” will use our 2019 income tax records to determine how much and  will make a direct deposit to our bank account.

Our conversation led to a lot of speculation, mostly concerning those who are “off the grid.”  I guess the survivalists and others who have made a lifestyle of avoiding the mainstream have things figured out so that they have no need for a stimulus package.  But what about those who are on the fringe — a lifetime of pick-up jobs, no social security connections, never paid income tax, no bank account.  What about those folks?

Or are there any people left in our bureaucratic society who are truly off the grid?  I remember during the 60s being visited by a couple with the improbable names (couple-wise) of D’neal and D’lean.  I had met D’neal at San Francisco State when I was taking classes to get my teaching credential.  He was charming, lived in the Haight with D’lean and a bunch of other young people, and I think he just floated around the student cafeteria looking for opportunities.

A few years later the two of them showed up at our house in Castro Valley with  100 pounds of chicken food.  They were on foot and said they were on their way to the Santa Cruz Mountains to live off the land, supplemented by that chicken food.  Go figure.

I’m sure they wanted help with their endeavor but we were very much of the mind that if you were able-bodied you worked for your living.  It was clear to me that if you could head into the mountains, each lugging a 50-pound sack of chicken feed, you were able-bodied enough.

We never heard from them again.  For all I know, they are now corporate CEOs and are a part of the Establishment with a capital E.  But, if not, will they manage to score a couple of stimulus checks???

And so the discussion goes in our household.  How about yours?

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