Chats with Uncle Charley II

Charley came by to see me again the other day. It being a nice day, we set out in back on the porch.

"I been thinking," he began. "You work out there in the mental health, don't you?"

"You know I do", I said.

"Lots of people out there have some kind of mental disability?"

"Yes, some do. Many of them live pretty normal lives."

"But some of 'em feel too bad to work?"

"Yes, I guess you could say that. Medications don't work on everybody."

"Give me an example," he said.

"O.K. People with a bipolar disorder have mood swings that make them unable to function or think clearly some of the time. It's hard to hold a job when for 3 weeks every couple of months you can't be at work."

"I understand that," he said. "So they get some money to help them survive?"

"Yes. Not much money, and just barely enough to survive."

"But part of the time they can function, right? What do they do then?"

"Watch TV, I guess, take care of their kids."

"What do they give back?"

"We have to help those who really can't help themselves."

"Yep, I know. But you guys spend a lot of time helping them get the disability money. Why can't the state come up with jobs, even limited jobs, that they can do during the times they're able? There's a lot of wasted hours out there with people that're really able at times, and they could be doing something."

"I suppose you're right," I answered.

"What's the matter? That too much trouble? You rather just hand them the money? Listen, Harry, you oughta know, there's nothing worse for people than knowing they're useless. And you make that worse when they got a lot of time on their hands to think."

"I suppose you're right."

"Damn right I'm right. That's a work resource out there that needs to be useful and productive, and we don't go to the trouble to find stuff for them to do. Being disabled don't mean dumb. Some a them are real smart They can do editing or research or look things up for people. Even the slower ones can stuff envelopes or be elected to Congress."

"Thanks, Uncle Charley. You always give me something to think about".

"Devil finds work for idle hands, kid. See ya."