Not-So-Splendid Isolation

Disaster

Sorry to start the day on a downer, folks, but this Chinese virus [cf. POTUS]  is screwing with my life, bigly.

With no travel going on and people working more and more from home, my Uber income has fallen off the cliff.  From a seven-hour workday net (after expenses) income of around $20/hour, the past few days have seen it fall to nearly zero.  I mean zip, zilch, nada:  two hours’ waiting between calls, on a good day, and those trips are all short ones — nurses to and from hospitals, etc.

I’m not the only one, of course.  The Son&Heir, who’s the F&B manager at a large restaurant, told me yesterday that their hourly staff (waiters and hosts) are having their hours cut by 80%, and layoffs may follow in about a week’s time — and I have to think that other similar establishments are faring even worse, as his place does significant home- and office delivery sales.

I, of course, don’t have any of that kind of thing to fall back on.  New Wife had her residence application finally (!!!!) approved and got her temporary green card;  not that it helps, though, because she works in — ta-da!!!! — elementary schools, and guess who’s not hiring at the moment because Chinese virus?  At best,she’ll be hired in July for the new school year, but until then…

Frankly, nobody is hiring at the moment, of course, so even if I was able to, I can’t find any kind of full-time work.  (I’m kicking myself for not getting my trucker’s license many years ago — supermarkets in the area are experiencing supply bottlenecks because of a driver shortage.  That’s why there’s no bogroll in the stores.)

So I’m doing what I swore never to do again, and asking for financial assistance from you, O My Long-Suffering Readers.  Without that, our modest savings will be drained and we face financial ruin within two or three months.  (Forget indulgences like takeout food or trips to Boomershoot;  we’re talking rent, car payments and utilities here.)

I know that everyone is suffering at the moment in one way or another;  but if you can see your way to helping us out over the next couple of months until sanity returns to our world, all contributions will be most gratefully received.  You can contribute a small amount monthly via Patreon (over on the right-hand side of the page under Links), or with one-time amounts through PayPal or by check to the sooper-seekrit mailing address.

I hate to have to do this, but I have no other alternative.

10 comments

  1. Speaking from direct immediate experience you might try applying for work at Wallyworld Sams Costco supermarkets. I am in a small city area of Maryland and work at Wallys and have for six months. Pay is barely over minimum. Before this started all were shorthanded. Young kids either mostly did not want the jobs or were bad at it. The stores depend on older 2nd jobbers empty nest moms and retirees like us to come in and work.
    It requires walking 8 hours a day or more and constant motion. Upside is I am healthier and in better shape than since I was about 40.
    They would also tske your wife in a heartbeat. Espscially the ones with online shopping. Most of those are older women.
    You might have to help unload the truck which is hard work though not impossible. I went from broken old man to strong and flexible in a few months.
    It would fill the gap until things recover….assumng they do.

    1. I have about a hundred yards’ walking a day with my old knees (thank you, youthful sports guy), and then agony. I can’t stand for longer than ten minutes, either.
      There’s a reason I’m retired, and have handicapped license plates on the VW…

      1. That I can understand. My wife wanted to work too but the arthritis that forced our home sale won’t let her stand long enough either. No office jobs for old competent women.
        At the moment I can only offer prayers as we are all being job squeezed too.

  3. Kim,

    I don’t know what your local conditions are, but here in Ohio with restaurants of all types limited to pick-up or delivery there seems to be a building demand for delivery drivers. Might be worth an inquiry?

  4. They are hiring food delivery people like crazy, groceries, meals delivered, and meals on wheels.

    Worth a check in your area…

  5. They closed ALL the bars and restaurants in Florida. Devastating to my friends in service industries.

  6. Could you, beg, borrow, rent, or steal the biggest rig you don’t need a CDL, Commercial Driver’s License, for and free lance?

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