Published: March 24, 2009 04:46 pm      

LION AND THE LAMB: An open letter to Sharon Baier

Dear Sharon:

I was happy to read your well-written article, printed in last week's Chronicle. It makes a strong case, in the story of Al and Jennifer, that "To make money, you have to spend money." That misguided couple thought that they ought to cut down on their purchase of supplies, to save money. They did so, week after week, until they lost their business.

You make a second point, to the effect that, in order to stimulate the economy, we all should go out and purchase goods and services. (I trust you would not go so far as to bring back the old mantra, shop till you drop!)

And I further hope that you are not of those who practice Conspicuous Consumption, in Thorstein Veblen's memorable phrase. You do not, I am sure, drive a Hummer, or even a Mercedes. You well know that we humans have gone a long way toward destroying the planet, through over-consumption and waste.

Still, you make your point. We in these parlous times should not hoard our resources; we ought to spend money in order to create jobs or save jobs. I am strongly tempted to follow your advice. I have in mind the purchase of another car, and/or the paving of our driveway.

Of course we have spent money to upgrade our house. We have tightened it up; we have added insulation, and we are enjoying the results. But we have not yet paved our driveway. Ours is the only house on our street with gravel. When we moved here, seven years ago, there were four such graveled drives. One by one, they each have been either paved with blacktop or with concrete. I do feel a bit ashamed of our drive, although it will stand me in good stead, should we have a serious ice storm. Those loose gravels will grasp my wheels and help me to pull into the garage.

Should I, in order to stimulate the economy, order up pavement?

Or ought I invest in other transportation? As you may know, our car is a fifteen year old Ford Taurus. True, it has obtained a few bruises and wrinkles, but it's almost as good as new. It runs every time; it's easy on gas; I do not add oil between 5000 mile oil changes. And that Robert (my red Ford) has carried us some 235,000 miles. Robert and I seem to have a kind of wager: each is betting they will outlive the other.

I have a nephew, up in Ohio, who sells Fords, or tries to. And he has been after me to invest in a new or used Ford. Ought I do that, and increase my nephew's income, a bit? The question still is open.

Goods and services. What about buying some clothes, and helping keep stores open? The trouble is, Mike, my wife, and I  have more good clothes than we really need. And a a Depression kid, I early learned to use it up. Make it do. Wear it out, do without. And my mother, cheerful soul, used to chide me for wanting new clothes. "What you have hides your nakedness!" Mom would say.

Shall we take our hunger to fancy and expensive restaurants? Well, we are already doing that. We eat away from home at least two or three times per week. And, we leave a tip, usually more than the usual twenty percent...

I fear sometimes that folks may see us living "a poverty life-style," a term used by a university colleague as a rebuke. Bless us, I do not wish people to bringing us food baskets, poor souls.

Well, we are not hurting financially. We are able to give away from twenty to thirty percent of our income to church and other good causes. We are, to coin a term, comfortably fixed.

So you see, Sharon, I have a dilemma. Whether to buy more or not. Whether to trade cars or to keep what we have. I am moved by your urge to us to spend, but I, in my mid-eighties, do not drive long distances any more. No new car for me, no. Old Robert will move us when we need to move.

And, shabby or not, I think our gravel drive will stay put.