I saw something that made me sad/angry today

an old man at the grocery store, counting his money, to decide if he could afford tomatoes or not.

he didn't get the tomatoes.

he bought just a head of lettuce, nothing more

and I didn't know what to do.

I wanted to offer him the cash I had on me, but I think it would have offended him.

this sort of thing should not happen.

when people retire, they should be able to live okay, comfortable lives. I don't mean going on vacations comfortable, I mean, being able to have a proper, nutritious salad. being able to go to the store, knowing you will have enough to get the components for a proper meal.

that doesn't happen, at least in the u.s. and that's wrong.

the state of our elderly is the state of our nation.

they are one of our greatest resources, and we need to respect and care for them, and it makes me feel so angry and powerless that we aren't, and I do not know how to personally, more than I am (I go to talk to veterans at the VA hospital we have here, old people at the retirement homes, old cops, etc. I've spent a few holidays with grandparents whose grandkids couldn't be bothered) dunno how to do more.

need to.

 

what are you gonna do?
I mean that rhetorically.

 

that is really sad. old people make me sad unless they are sunning themselves in Texas.

I hate when old people slip and fall and break hips.

 

I think we should support old people simply because they got us here.

they have stories that are REALLY valuable, many of them have a great deal of wisdom, and if not that, pathos, that is something we could all learn from. and it's sad we discard them so readily in the u.s.

 

yes treat them as elders

 

Maybe, just maybe he just didn't bring enough change and left his chequebook at home.

 

I hope so.

I REALLY hope so.

 

I would have still risked offending him, you never know.

 

I know, that's one of the reasons I am so mad about it, I'm really mad at myself for not risking a little incident.

I should have.

 

Do you know whats funny. By the time I'm old, the pension will no longer exist here. God knows for how long i'm only going to be able to work part time, if it happens to be for more than a decade i'll probably barely have enough superannuation to eat when I retire, unless I manage to strike it rich in my 40s.

 

One thing about working in a bank, you get the opportunity see all these dischevelled (sp) looking old men or women ... they come in almost daily to take out 20.00 or pay their water bill looking like they dont have a dollar to their name, in all honesty they've really sunk all their extra cash into investments while they eat lard sandwiches and drink watery tea.

They carry a 3,000 balance in their chequing account, a 10,000 balance in their savings, over 200,000 worth of investments nevermind the GIC's in case of an emergency (bailing one of their kids out of jail)

 

and other investments at other banks...plus a extra large safety dep box.

 

part of why I am looking into becoming a farmer.

I want to be able to have a place where my family and friends can be safe, and comfortable, because I know the rest of the world isn't going to do the clerical work to support that.

so what about a small micronation/farm/off the grid fortress of families? why not grow all the food for a community to thrive, and have a generational community, that can support itself in times of woe.


but that's another topic, and I shouldn't be changing them.

unfortunately the american tactic of economic growth is bad for human dignity, bad for the soul, bad for the future of the economy, and bad for the evaluation of the individual.

 

I don't think the old guy would have taken your money even if you offered it.

 

Yes, my great, great auntie in England is a lot like this. She lives in a crappy old unit in a down and out English mining town and eats the most simple crappy food, yet has enough money to live like a Queen. She won't dare spend too much because she's so afraid of not being able to provide for her children, who all married into good money, or make good money themselves.

I think back in older times people valued their children a lot more. Now its common for people my parents' age to have bumper stickers that say 'I'm spending my childrens' inheritance and proud of it'.

 

I have thought a lot about this and will definitely consider it one day. Being in one of the most arid countries on earth, rural land is a luxury only for the rich...so for now its not an option for me. I think my only choice is to go to University, try to unleash my inner genius and get some sort of cushy, well paying job as an academic or public servant. Or, I might get better one day. Who knows?

 

I know, but not offering it, I dunno, I should have.

 

You're a good man, Dave_techie. You've got a good heart. We need more people like you.


My whole life, I always thought it was a shame how our own government and it's people have turned a blind eye to the elderly. They should be taken care of....food....medicine....and shelter....for all. Black or white....rich or poor.

One day....we all will be in their shoes.

But, it seems most people don't give a shit about the elderly. They just live for themselves and live for today.

 

fuck that, I don't do enough.

 

btw old people can be miserable patronising racist cunts...

The same same thing happened to me the other day but they were slightly younger.
They were ferreting around in their collective pockets for enough change to buy a 37P packet of crisps...but, they did look like drug fiends...lol.