Something you see around here that you don’t see at home is the vast number of homeless people. Brawley and El Centro seem to have more than their share of ragged men pushing shopping carts and standing on corners, or the entry/exits to mall parking lots, with their cardboard beggar signs.
Must be a sign of the economic times. When I lived out here in the 70s, early 80s I don’t recall seeing homeless people. Most of the ones you see now are older men, many of whom claim to be veterans. Some probably are and some likely pose as vets in hope that will bring in more donations.
I can’t imagine that they push those carts around during the blazing 115-degree plus heat of full summer. Surely they are like the “Snow Birds,” who migrate down to the Valley during the winter months and head back north in the summers. There are many of those around, campgrounds and small trailer sites are full of them. Retired people mostly, with the funds to own motor homes or travel trailers. Anyone who can afford to drive a motor home or RV nowadays has a little money stashed back somewhere, with the price of gasoline and the lousy mileage.
I was thinking this morning what a great documentary it would make to interview some of these homeless sorts. Of course, it’s nothing unique, has been done many times before. But everybody has a different story about how they got into the dire straits in which they now dwell. I don’t have the time or inclination to do something like that right now -- plus, you’d have to pay the dudes to talk to you, no doubt.
Interesting facts: El Centro is the largest US city (40,000 plus) that lies completely below sea level (-50 feet). Calipatria, about 23 miles up the road, is the lowest city in the western hemisphere at -177 below sea level.
Must be a sign of the economic times. When I lived out here in the 70s, early 80s I don’t recall seeing homeless people. Most of the ones you see now are older men, many of whom claim to be veterans. Some probably are and some likely pose as vets in hope that will bring in more donations.
I can’t imagine that they push those carts around during the blazing 115-degree plus heat of full summer. Surely they are like the “Snow Birds,” who migrate down to the Valley during the winter months and head back north in the summers. There are many of those around, campgrounds and small trailer sites are full of them. Retired people mostly, with the funds to own motor homes or travel trailers. Anyone who can afford to drive a motor home or RV nowadays has a little money stashed back somewhere, with the price of gasoline and the lousy mileage.
I was thinking this morning what a great documentary it would make to interview some of these homeless sorts. Of course, it’s nothing unique, has been done many times before. But everybody has a different story about how they got into the dire straits in which they now dwell. I don’t have the time or inclination to do something like that right now -- plus, you’d have to pay the dudes to talk to you, no doubt.
Interesting facts: El Centro is the largest US city (40,000 plus) that lies completely below sea level (-50 feet). Calipatria, about 23 miles up the road, is the lowest city in the western hemisphere at -177 below sea level.
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