I like to know, how in the HELL did I wind up with 5 loads of laundry? HOW? WHERE in the hell did it come from? How many people did I have here? I would also like to thank my children,for rooting thru the freezers in their quest for [God knows what, I don't] ...one of you unearthed a batch of homemade meatballs,and saved me a lot of time making dinner tonight.TYVM.
Right after college, Steve was working at a dealership that sold both GM and Toyota, and when that dealership changed hands,in the early 90's, he had to decide....do I want to work with GM parts or Toyota parts? All those years ago, he chose Toyota. Regulars here know, that Steve works at a Toyota dealership to this day. He is a Toyota Master Partsman and a Toyota Master Parts Manager. We've put our eggs into Toyotas basket, if you will. We have been following the agony of the Big 3, and agonizing for the workers involved, and what this does to their lives. Today I read this article:
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/12/auto-bailout-dead-end-cars-on-credit.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/8wevwb
And it hit me so hard. There but for the grace of God, goes Steve and I and our family.This could have been our fate this holiday season. When I read the article,I didn't see the banks and vp's that ran the auto industry into the ground. I wasn't looking at their golden parachutes or severance packages, [although I hope they rot in hell for what they've done and what they've stolen]....I was looking at rank and file..... the men who worked hard all their lives.They are entitled to a little job security at this stage of their careers. I'm looking at them,- looking at their wives and children, and wondering "what the HELL are we gonna do now?" When you've been on the line, or in the garage or salesroom [or in the parts department] for that many years, you can't simply pas de deux and jump into another career.
I'm thinking about the Big 3 automakers wives, just like me, doing the best we can for our family. My heart is broken for them, for the fear they must feel, and the loathing they must feel. They hitched their giddy-up to hubbys pony [or visa-versa],the whole family trusted in their jobs and in their industry, and now they face financial disaster...no....Financial Ruin. I cannot begin to understand, it must feel like a death in the family to them. Only, it was the rank and file people who were the real family, not the corporate rapists masquerading as execs. I don't understand how this could happen.The perfect storm.
Responsibility.It's something you try to instill in your kids. You live and breathe responsibility in front of your kids, and you pound it into their heads over and over and over again, hoping that they've learned the lesson you're trying to teach them. Where the hell was the responsibility here? Where was the accountability? The management that Steve works with now does not provide for year end bonuses for the employees, so Steve makes sure all his crew gets a bonus as a Christmas gift,...and that comes straight from us. Responsibility. I am proud of him and back him up 100%. Where was the pride or responsibility of these execs? Sweet baby Jesus, I *think* I've overdrawn my bank account and my palms get sweaty,and these execs ruin millions of peoples lives,and walk away with half a billion or more for their effort? Didn't they HAVE parents, and if they did, what the hell happened? THIS is how the Mom phrase "Would you jump off a bridge because your friends did it?" originated . All these bastards, one-upping each other to see who could get the biggest wad of cash. And all the regular people suffer the collateral damage.
I think God moves in really odd,ironic kinda ways. I told you, Steve had to decide between GM and Toyota all those years ago, we could be losing a lot right now if he had yawed towards GM. So I asked him, what made you decide all those years ago, to go with Toyota? And it was as simple as, it was easier to look stuff up for Toyota. Because it was easier to look stuff up, I can empathize with the auto families of the Big 3, instead of sympathize with them. That's ironic.
~Always remember to pillage before you burn.~
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I think about why I made that choice back in the early 90's. GM parts were harder to look up and you needed all the option codes for the body parts. Toyota was so easy, fewer models and less options. It came down to me being lazy and the ability to memorize Toyota part numbers easier. I've stayed in touch with a few of my fellow parts guys from back then and they all went domestic. They are worried, very worried. I'm so fortunate to work for one of the best car companies, even though I do not like to drive Toyotas. I drive a Crown Vic.
I thought you made that decision in 82 or 3 :O)And that's another irony,that you work for Toyota,but "if you get cut you'll bleed Ford Blue" :o) Who'da thunk it,that's the difference between empathize and sympathize?
A very interesting and poignant post, Gail. It's ironic that in the 80's and 90's, American union workers were totally hostile to foreign (read Japanese) cars. If a worker showed up at a job site in a Honda, Toyota or other foreign car he might very likely return to find his car seriously vandalized at the end of the day. In fact, our Subaru has a sign on a back side window that proclaims it's manufacture in Indiana! So after all that loyal-to-American-made-products passion, these guys get kicked in the cojones while the corporate suits get bonuses. Yikes...what a country!
John,always good to hear from you.You're right,I remember the anti-foreign car sentiments.And it frightens me,that such a seemingly small decision,made so long ago,...what irony.What decisions are we making today that could jump up and bite our butts another 20 years down the road? And I'll tell you what,the thought of our dopplegangers...the people in the big 3 that mirror our position at Toyota...they keep me up at night.I don't know if my good thought or vibes or prayers help them,but they have 'em anyway. And I just don't understand how so many checks and balances,how so many systems could fail in such a big way.
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