Playing, with Money

Earlier this week, I went to the doctor for a complete physical exam.  She read my lab report to me: everything normal.  She seemed happier and happier as she went down the list, almost like she'd known I'd been rumaging around on the Mayo Clinic website.  No, no, and no!  None of those scary diseases!  That was a relief and also permission to drive directly to Walgreen's and buy a Snicker's bar.

The doctor's office and the nearby Walgreen's are on Pill Hill in Oakland, and there's a largely poor African-American neighborhood to the west.  Most of my fellow customers bought no more than few things and quickly, as though they knew exactly how much money was in their pocket, and it wasn't going to finance any extras. 

They didn't dawdle in the eyeliner department wondering which kind works best on old-lady eyes.  They did not buy three pairs of rubber gloves because, what the hell, who wants to go back for more any time soon?  They were in a brightly lit, well-stocked store, but the abundance was not available to them.  That was my sense of it.  People seemed preocupied and pinched.

Last night, I was reading the travel section of the Sunday New York Times, and I came across an article on page 2 entitled, "On Vacation, and Playing Chef for a Day."  People who love to cook (this would not be me) can pay to help the chef  of  Blackberry Farm hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee. The article says,

"The day begins with several tasks on the property, including helping pick seasonal produce and herbs and selecting cheese.  Then it's on to the kitchen to help prepare dishes for the hotel's restaurant.  The price is $2,000 a day."

Are they serious?  Pay $2,000 per day to cook?  I went on a cruise that cost considerably less than that  per day, and I was served every meal. I was amazed. Jerry was incredulous.  It would be our idea of hell.

But much worse was thinking about the people in the Walgreen's.   Would they be incredulous at the idea of anyone having that kind of disposable income, mine and the vacation-chefs? Or maybe they'd be resigned, which is much sadder.  Today I signed a petition to put The Millionaire's Tax on the California ballot, but I don't think it will fix it.  Not really.