dystopian
@sallypup (62242)
Centralia, Washington
January 20, 2025 7:40pm CST
I loved those science fiction end of the world books when I was a teen. I even read 1984 though that one gave me the want to vomit feeling.
I sit here tonight after having eaten a decent though easy to fix supper and wonder about the have its and the have nots. My meal: steamed green beans that I bought from the produce section of the store, ripe avocado, sort of okay raw tomato and my go to for super easy protein: black bean refrieds on a little tortilla with cheese. Pretty soon I probably will dig into some of my home made chocolate pudding. (No refined sugar and no fake sugar, either.)
I never thought I would grow to my age and find it common place to see humans huddled under sleeping bags on sidewalks. My family was not rich. My Mom mostly raised us kids without a guy in the picture. The Salvation Army helped us out more than once. So did my grandparents. And on we went.
This time of rising costs and rising fake foods has me wondering. And I am grateful for a roof over my head and food that keeps my bones strong- falling for me is a major event that would possibly have medical folks out to get me back up. I must eat decent food cause breaking a bone is far too easy for me at this point.
4 people like this
3 responses
@FourWalls (70151)
• United States
5h
What puzzles me is the large number of people who will not, no matter how cold it gets, go to a shelter. We have a policy here called a “white flag,” meaning any time the temperature gets below freezing the “rules” about shelter capacity are ignored in favor of getting everyone out of the dangerous conditions. (It was 7F with a -10F wind chill this morning.). I’ve seen news stories where reporters followed workers from the shelters, and the people took gloves or a cup of coffee but refused a ride to a warm building. The VA has a problem with helping homeless veterans, too, and the sad but true reality is that you cannot help someone who refuses to be helped. 
2 people like this
@sallypup (62242)
• Centralia, Washington
5h
@FourWalls That is weird. I guess people like to be independent. Over here in the large cities buses give free rides to shelters.
2 people like this
@marguicha (224362)
• Chile
5h
Needs have changed lately, as I see it. When I was a child we ate better but did not have the incredible amount of gadgets people have nowadays. I often see people sleeping on sidewalks. But they all have cellphones.
2 people like this
@sallypup (62242)
• Centralia, Washington
5h
@marguicha When my husband worked at the welfare office, he said that often clients had better phones than he'd ever dreamed of.
1 person likes this
