Hunger Is Not a Disease

Working in a Small Upstate Community

IMG_2647-150x150The little bright green flier on the counter in Bread Alone read:  “Business Closing”.   The message  for us?  Make it over to the book store across from the library and buy what never sold during the summer.

THE CUTE LITTLE SHOP NEXT TO THE WINE STORE HAS 12-INCH HIGH ‘FOR RENT’ LETTERS IN THE WINDOW.

BMG GALLERY, AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS MOVED TO BEARSVILLE.   My guess  is that he’s found a web business niche.  But I don’t know that.  Anyway, he’s gone and in the gallery now is a bright red-and-white dream named “Woodstock Workplace”.

On the plus side, the corner deli which closed months ago is being refurbished and transformed into an upscale take out place called “Shindig”.

The boutique next door to Joshua’s appears to be in the process of rebirth with  a small sign announcing “Little House”.

Also important:  The 3 new businesses are still not real estate offices.  Real estate offices are wonderful and, over the years, have kept Woodstock thriving with many weekend owners.  But,  a new deli or boutique will help keep the walking tourists coming for the other businesses still struggling along.

EVERY AUTUMN, WHEN THE LEAVES TURN GORGEOUS COLORS, I LOOK AROUND TOWN TO SEE WHICH BUSINESSES WILL CLOSE.   This exercise begins, actually, in the summer.  I watch  the tourists flock to Woodstock.     I never notice what they look like, how old or wealthy they appear, or where they seem to come from.  What I see is how many shopping bags they carry as they walk along the street and shop.

On any given day, the most popular product sold in Woodstock seems to be the ice cream at Taco Juan’s.  Go Taco Juan!

Michael  B. Katz, in his book “The Undeserving Poor” writes about  ghettos.

A ghetto is a place where residents leave town for the job they do and buy what they need outside where they live.   The wages they bring home are not enough to accumulate.

MUCH OF THE MONEY, RICHES, GOODS, IN A GHETTO BELONG TO OUTSIDERS WHO CONTROL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.   Profits are exported.

While I realize  most of the people I know in Woodstock are from somewhere else, I also realize many, many wealthy people have homes in Woodstock.  Some of those people even bank in Woodstock.  If you don’t believe me, look around at the three banks.  Two of them  just completed the most extravagant improvements they could imagine on their newly acquired buildings.  It was a contest between Ulster Savings Bank  and  Mid Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union.  I think the credit union won.

But, whoever spent the most is unimportant.  What’s important here is that a few local residents had jobs for awhile as the upgrades were applied:  carpenters, plumbers, pavers, landscapers, painters, security equipment specialists, …

WOODSTOCK IS A COMMUNITY BOASTING THAT OVER HALF OF ITS RESIDENTS ARE WEEKENDERS. They have primary residences elsewhere and  leave Woodstock to accumulate more of the wealth they use to live here.

Woodstock is also comfortable for the over-50 crowd.  We, many of us, came to Woodstock with our pensions, nest eggs, stock, bonds, and worldly possessions.

PANTRY EXPERIENCE TAUGHT ME THERE IS ALSO A GROUP, A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN WOODSTOCK WORKING FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND, FOR POVERTY-LEVEL WAGES.  The basic productive resource of our community, which is gained outside Woodstock, is this labor.

THOSE FORTUNATE TO HAVE JOBS IN WOODSTOCK ARE OFTEN PAID “OFF THE BOOKS”.   If they’re lucky, they’re paid “half on and half off”.  They make enough money to pay the rent and buy the gas to get to the jobs.  There is no over time, no retirement fund, no health insurance.

DESPITE THAT, THEY’RE LUCKY. How can a person survive, let alone thrive, in this situation?  It takes 2 steady paychecks just to live indoors.

I don’t know how many employed people in our area are homeless.  I’ve read some statistics on the subject but I don’t believe them because I know how difficult it is to get even close to an accurate count.  My guestimate is that 10% of the poverty level employed are homeless.

Don’t quote me on that percentage.  For that matter, don’t quote anyone else either.

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Peace and food for all.

Thurman Greco