Thursday, August 23, 2012

Put Me In The Pokie?

You may have noticed by now that my mind sometimes meanders around some pretty strange corners when it's aimlessly pondering some things. This happened again last evening when I was once again wondering just how those of us who survive off disability incomes are supposed to make basic ends meet, let alone cover the various extra expenses these illnesses require. Heck the amount they pay doesn't even cover basic rent costs let alone anything else. What is one to do?

We would surely much rather be able to support ourselves if we could. However, obviously if we could hold down a job we wouldn't be considered disabled in the first place nor would we need any help! Why on earth would any sane person wish to live on poverty level incomes? To want that one would have to be insane, and isn't insanity a disability? Hm......

Necessities: Rent, utilities, food, car insurance, gasoline... Luxuries: Internet, TV, supplements, chiropractic and other treatments (which are actually the only things that help me), clothing... As hard as I've tried to stretch, fold and manipulate the Basics list I just can't whip it past the rent. Believe me I've tried every which way to make it happen but it's just impossible unless they'd rent a closet somewhere to three people... It's more than frustrating and stressful going over and over it days on end trying to find the impossible solution.

As my thoughts rolled down this rocky road I dreamed of television, as in wishing there was some way to afford cable. Now you noticed I placed in on the Luxury list because to those of us living on such limited income it is indeed a luxury item along with so many other things we won't die without. But I must inform you that for those of us who are unable to go out, who have little connection to the world out there due to health, television is like a big window to that big world out there that we have little way to be in--- along with the internet which is perhaps even a better medium for connection. So how sane can we stay without cable connections? And how the heck can we have one?

Then my mind did a bit of a hiccup. It does that some time. I guess it was in thinking about rent costs and how much even the tiniest of spaces cost that I recalled a recent photo of my granddaughter who's just starting university this fall, sitting in her small dorm room. The first picture, before she fixed it up with her personal touches, made me think of when my brother was on an aircraft carrier years ago when he was in the marines. He had described the room that he shared to me which in turned made me think of scenes I'd seen in old movies of sailors and ships or submarines and those tiny little rooms with the bunks that the men lived in ---- plain, small, metal looking spaces, rather bland. That in turn made me think of pictures of prisons I'd seen which were similar in size and plainness.... except for some in recent years that seemed more like luxury hotels where you'd expect room service.... and Hey! They had work out rooms and court yards.... and.... Yes! Televisions! And some, even computers and internet!

Hey! And that is when it dawned on me--- It wasn't too long ago when I'd seen an article on what we are spending to keep one man in jail per year and that amount was waaaay more than what we on disability have to live on! And they even get TV! Of course they don't want prisoner's lives to be too cruel, right?

Maybe we should go to the pokey? They even get three squares a day, I think....


I warned you my mind sometimes takes a strange turn or two.


Zona #36985
SunnyBlock Prison
Block C
Cell 3

Sherrif Wolfgang Wisenheimer in charge

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