Unemployed in Oakland, California - Week 7

Driving to my Carpenters’ Union out-of-work roll call, NPR informed me that unemployment would reach 10% of the workforce by year-end. That would add another 2.5 million more workers to the current 12.5 million officially without work.
At the union hall my buddy John told me his daughter complained that he is not like himself these days. He’s #183 on the out-of-work list. I’m #221. John said, “I’m just not used to it. I have to have something to do. I can’t sit around. I get up at 6am and turn the TV on and my wife tells me to turn it off, that it’s too early.”
Another buddy, who’s been unemployed since July ‘08, laughed sarcastically when I asked how much he’s moved up the out-of-work list in the last 2 weeks. “Well, I was #35, now I’m #34!” One older carpenter took a Facts for Working People and explained that he may have to bail out his son who’s been out of work only a month. “He’s sinking. His mortgage payment is too high for him to be off work long.”
As I passed out the FFWP I changed my introduction from each group of workers I approached. “Check this out. A newsletter that complains about how f****d-up things are.” One outreached hand echoed back, “tell me about it.” Another unemployed carpenter took some of my propaganda and looking down at it, repeated back the headline, “the system’s not working ….. no shit!”
Jeff was at the Hall too, complaining about Bernanke, the Federal Reserve Chair. “He didn’t see this coming? What? Bernanke has a post-graduate degree in the Depression era and he couldn’t see this problem coming. Hey, I haven’t got a high school diploma, I can hardly read and I knew it was coming. All that speculation. When a 800-square-foot starter home is selling for $600,000 you know something’s wrong. I saw it! All those f*****s are pleading innocent!”
I offered him a Facts for Working People but added, “you can’t read so you might not want this,” he joked back, “Hey my girlfriend can read it to me!”
Jeff got up and announced to those around him, “Hey, well I got my corner staked out for today and I already made my sign, so I’m heading out before some other m***** f***** takes my corner.”
Those that don’t know Jeff, wondered if he was joking.