What is happening to our economy?

I’ve had another eventful week at the salon. More and more clients are losing their jobs. Older clients have lost half of their retirement funds, while the younger clients go to work in fear. It is becoming very hard to keep spirits high.

It gets better: I saw a couple of clients at the supermarket this morning. They hugged and kissed me and proceeded to explain that they are now cutting their own hair. YIKES!! Enough nonsense everybody.

LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY:

As a little girl growing up in Athens, Greece, I lived a charmed life. My parents had tried for 8 years to conceive me. My father was a successful merchant and my mom and I had everything we ever wanted. Early on, the government of Greece was overtaken by military dictators and my Father was promptly jailed for running his mouth. He was accused of being an enemy of the state. They seized our assets and that left us broke and scared. One day, as I was walking home from school, I saw my mom arguing with soldiers outside our house. They had removed all our personal belongings into the street. My clothing and toys were all in a big pile. I did what any young capitalist would do: I proceeded to sell my toys to all the kids that had gathered to see what was going on. Great first lesson on being homeless?

My poor mother was heartbroken. No one would talk to us anymore, they were afraid. The government had even seized our tea cups. She moved us to a working class section of Athens (think Barrio) and took a low paying job at a macaroni factory (Mellisa). She worked 14 hour days and came home with pasta in her beautiful hair. I heard her crying many sleepless nights. Until one day, she came home and said, “WE’RE GOING TO AMERICA.” Easier said than done. We spent countless days at the US Consulate office and one fine day we were granted immigrant visas. WE HAD $20 IN OUR POCKET WHEN WE LEFT GREECE.

January 14, 1974

Port of entry: Chicago, Illinois

As we came out of the arrival gate, two ladies in grey flannel suits greeted us. They handed my mother our Green Cards and Social Security cards, welcomed her to America and they both reached down and kissed me. They were Immigration officers. I kid you not.

This is the America I love.

This is the America I know.

To all that want to abandon ship…I say go ahead and leave. To all that complain…I say stop. And, to the rest…do not give up, our country has faced worst and has survived. Hold fast America. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am going to get my hair done(professionally).

Tagged as: America, Athens Greece, green cards, homeless, immigration, retierment funds, Street Talk, Tribal stories, US Economy