How to deal with the Depression

The inspiration and, in fact, the source of this entry is from my boyhood friend, Dickie Kaplan.  We were talking about the ever more dire economy and the cautious optimism we feel as Obama's term finally is within sight.  We agreed that the new president needs to resurrect some form of the WPA and soon.  After all, the original WPA put millions to work, instilled confidence in The System and put some jingle back in America's pockets. And we're still using those (now crumbling) schools, firehouses, post offices and bridges today, almost 80 years later.  Yep, FDR used the opportunity to Invest in America.  Except for Ike and LBJ, the last national CEO to do so.  The rest of them have been more attuned to stripping the Firm's assets and shipping them to China.

As we spoke about the wine business, I told Dick that while restaurants seem to be seeing fewer patrons and smaller checks, with a commensurate trading-down in wine purchases, so far retail shops appear to be holding their own. 

Indeed, if you want to save money and have a good time, buy a couple of bottles, have a some friends over and cook or order in.  People did a lot of that during Depression I.  They played the upright piano, sang in harmony and danced the fox trot.  They called it "making our own fun."  I'll assume that the fun part came from the camaraderie of drunken friends who made fools of themselves trying to jitterbug.

I'll take this a step further.  Or two.  I'll say that to really save your dough and hunker down, all the while having a swell time, buy yourself a few bottles of tasty Italian wine, purchase some salty savory snacks and repair to your room in the boarding house where you can wile away the Depression with no one standing over your shoulder, monitoring your behavior.  No inane conversation either.  No having to fake interest in some crummy play or the exploits of someone's sixth-grade Little League champion.  You'll feel good for hours and hours.  Your cares will disappear and your heart will swell with joy. 

And even later, when you awake in the grey dawn and feel like roadkill, you'll concentrate so hard on recovering that you'll forget the unpaid bills and the uncountable days to the next unemployment check.

I'd like to encapsulate this in a catchy little slogan:  "Drink alone, sip in peace, do it for the Strapster."

 

Support your local Strapster.  Drink often & alone for maximum fun

Comments

[David J]

Guess I'm on the program-- from day one!

[Strappo]

Good. And I say -- with all die respect to the lost souls who cry out for redemption -- fuck you to Bill W., who founded AA at the carriage house at Stan Hywet in Akron, OH and was a member of my old parish (St. Paul's in same city).

Life is just too fucking short to live by another's credo.

Go for it, djr!

[Sharon]

Your wish is my command.