What's in Aunty's Mattress?

"I doan unnerstan half of what youse sayin' on that blog of yours, Belle. I jes' got so muddled over it all that I came by heah hopin' ya'd explain it to me. But first I looked in at the bank. I seen Pete Jenson who said he heered that Uncle was layin' off folks the PorkRind plant. Is that right, Belle?

Ned Wilson is fine fella what always has somethin' cheery to say about other folks. An' he is quick to do ya a favor too. It's hard to get him down, so his long face was doubly worrisome.

"How was thangs at the bank," I as't him.

"Same as at the market--lot'sa folks bein all smiley faced, pretendin' they ain't worriet when they's all worriet sick," Ned sighed an' reached down to scratch Shadow's head.

I jes' nodded.

"Tillie sent me over to the bank on account of it bein announced as a failin' insitution. So she wanted me to jes' get the money an' let us keep it in the mattress. Sounds funny doan it? Like the cartoons."


"Naw, it ain't funny," I said. "Real folks will git hurt real bad. Like the ones Uncle might have to let go--But we's gettin ready to be taxed to death. Iffin' the wrong fella ends up in the White House, you'll see unemployment go up like it did in France a few years ago."

"I ain't worriet about France. Why ya mention the French?" Ned as't.

"Cause they had the idea to tax bidness more and force employers to pay unemployment on workers fer a year--if ya could fire them. So, all that meant is that bidness's quit hirin' anybody. Unempoyment went up over 16 %. "

Ned looked perplexed. He said, "Well, now, that right thar's why so many is thinkin' of votin' fer man who will help the workers of this country. Seems like workers is entitled to job security."

"Sure they is" I nodded, "in that perfect world that none of us ever seen. But who is gonna give it to them?"

"The employer, " answered Ned.

"Reckon he would iffin' he could" I nodded back, "but he cain't, Ned, since the employer ain't got no sales security. What is the employer supposed to do if they ain't no sales? It costs money to hire and train, to run the equipment, to pay wages and unemployment and insurance and retirement to employees. That money comes from sales of goods and services. No sales, no money. Add new taxes on top of all that and youse gonna see lots more lay-offs. "

Ned exhaled an' I seen he was clearly discomforted. "Why ain't they no sales?"

I smiled. "Now Ned, iffin' times is tough, what does ya spend yore money on? What does ya think ya' can do wif'out so as to save a penny? Pork Rinds ain't a necessity in nobody's book. Nor
I-Pods." He works at a simulation outfit what makes games.

Ned was silent as a cat. Shadow jes' lay at his feet on the sunny patch in the grass.

I continued, "Ya know, ever' day folks git up an go to work. They either go to work fer somebody else, or they go to work for theyselves. When a body builds up a bidness, they offer work to others. If the tax-man leaves him be, thar's money fer him to hire more folks and expand, or to spend that money on better equipment or worker trainin'. If lots of bidnesses hires lots of folks then unemployment stays down and people doan need to gubmint handout."

Ned stared off toward the treeline. "Belle, taxes make thangs fair fer all. It is right that the rich pay their fair share."

"Ned, " I croaked, "Think what youse sayin.' Why does ya go to work ever'day?"

"Fer the money."

I nodded, "Right. So how'd you like it if ya arrived one day an' the boss said,

'Ned, today youse doin' Zeke's work, but he is gonna be paid fer it.'

An when ya protest the boss says,

'Well now, Ned, youse bigger and can work enough fer two men, an Zeke's here needs the money but he cain't do more'n a few hours of work on account of his puny constitution. It's fair that you share more of yore brawn wif' those who is scrawny.'

Reckon how long it be, Ned, afore youse findin' excuses to work less since youse workin fer two but paid fer one? Thas' what happens if ya overtax the man whose bidness made a place for others to work. They stop workin' and inventin' and innovatin' and takin' risks openin' a bidness and takin' on all the obligations of bein' a bidness owner."

Ned Wilson shook his head. "Youse tryin'to trick me wif' all this talk. Fair is fair, thas
what I know. At least they have a bidness! "


"Well thas' true, Ned" I replied, "But iffin' youse admirin' that, why'nt you build yore own bidness?"

"Belle, how would I do that? Doan'cha unnerstan' that would take ever' dime I had to make my own bidness? I'd have to borry money too. What if it, uh, well, what if...I mean, it might not pay." He shook his head, "Nope. That'd be too risky. Couldn't put mah head on the pillow fer worryin' over the money I might lose."

We sat watchin' the sun go down over the trees. The tree frogs began their chorus. After a spell he shuffled his feet and I knowed he was preparin' to go on home to Tillie. With money fer the mattress.

"Well," he sighed,"Tell Uncle Aloysius I'se real sorry to miss him. Whar is he this close to supper time?"

I smiled that youse-gonna-be-sorry-ya-asked smile, "Oh, he' still at the plant tryin' ter make sure that ever' dime he ever could scrape together and risk so he could build that Pork Rind plant whar' dozens of folks work, and git paid vaction and health care and pensions and free skill trainin'...tryin' to see that it doan go all down the drain. Reckon ya' got the better part of the deal, Ned, not ownin' a bidness and havin' to worry about all that."

The moon was hangin' low when Uncle came home. We had a late supper and went early to bed. I laid awake long after Uncle turned out the light.



"Curly locks, curly locks, wilt thou be mine?
Thy shalt not sweep floors nor yet feed swine.
But sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam,
an' feast on strawberries, sugar and cream!"


And feast upon strawberries, sugar and cream
From a service of silver, with jewels agleam,
At thy feet will I bide, at thy beck will I rise,
And twinkle my soul in the night of thy eyes!


When Uncle was a boy-man he had to put hisself through school. When he marriet up wif me, a chile of a girl, mah daddy said "She's yores now, son. You figger out how to pay fer her school too." And he did.



I shifted to look out on the moon, high now over the trees. Beneath me a small lump caused a twinge,and I smiled to myself in the dark. After Ned ambled down the walk I went right upstairs and slipped a dried black-eyed pea under my side of the mattress pad. It ain't wise to git too comfortable wif the status quo. A little discomfort reminds me of the larger comfort of havin' a bed in a still somewhat free country.