Q: When did you start driving through
A: From the beginning, I guess.
When we lived in
We moved to
Suzette bought a
two-story house in
We’d drive
through
It had a distinctive look.
It was planned.
Cotton curtains blowing in the breeze.
Outdoor showers and clotheslines.
Of course the houses had air-conditioning and television. And parking would soon be a problem.
You couldn’t walk to your job unless you were a stockbroker and could do it electronically, a banker, someone who lived off the interest money made, inherited money. Or commissions for handling other people’s inherited money.
And the maids and lawnmower persons and waitstaff in the restaurants had to drive in from their trailer parks and low-rent housing communities some distance away.
Rich people have help.
The help doesn’t
live in
People who work
in shops on
We’re a driving culture.
We drive.
We drive to work, we need a place to park, we drive back home, we spend money on cars, and tires, and gas, and oil, and taxes, for the roads. That’s not counting air pollution and fertilizer runoff, from the lawns, pesticide runoff.
We’re too busy watching TV to see that. To tired after work to think about it. We just want to have a beer and relax. Zone out. Maybe eat some takeout food. Fried chicken or a pizza. A burger and fries. Cook the fries in beef tallow.
Maybe you’re a dentist and own seven McDonald’s franchises.
You can come to
Deduct everything from your taxes.
Maybe you’re a doctor.
It’s the American way.
It’s as American as fried pie.
Maybe you’re an accountant. You own seven Burger Kings.
Your employees make minimum wage, no benefits.
You have trouble keeping help.
Staffing is a problem.