THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

Hard times for THE HOPE LADY! The radio is one of her great pleasures, but no sooner does she turn it on, than somebody says, “These tough economic times.” Tough times are even tougher at 6:00 AM. Could be anybody saying it, the weatherman, the traffic reporter, the man-on-the-street interviewer. And it’s not just all the bad news, but all the good news as well. News of visiting art galleries, making snow sculptures, buying vegetables—all of it is framed now in the context of “these tough economic times.” People who sang for pleasure last year are singing this year too bring comfort in “these tough economic times.” People who worked last year are working in “these tough economic times.” If it’s really true, as some hope theorists contend, that hope can only really be appreciated in the context of suffering, then I’d say THE HOPE LADY is in for a period of great demand, albeit for services provided free of charge, given “these tough economic times.”
Every morning THE HOPE LADY wakes up to the radio, generally the morning news. She has other choices but even in “these tough economic times” it is gentler to wake up and doze off with the radio than to start a day after an arm-wrestle with the incessantly throbbing alarm.
Every morning I brush the teeth of the groggy woman who is still deciding whether to be THE HOPE LADY today. The radio’s cautionary tales are ringing in my ears. Still, I let her use as much toothpaste as she wants. I have a feeling that, were I to squeeze a small amount to fend off the possibility of future rations she’d say, “That is ridiculous! We can absolutely afford toothpaste, and if ever we can’t, we’ll do without it. If you’re going to be rationing my toothpaste we will have to stop listening to the radio!”
So I don’t mention the toothpaste. I really hate that alarm! And she’s probably right. If ever we can’t afford toothpaste, we’ll figure out another way.