I AM AN UN-LUMPABLE AMERICAN !

Okay, that’s it. I’ve had it.

I am done being lumped together with every other American that exists, or has existed for the past century. The other day, as I was working, I had trouble thinking of a particular word. I asked my son a rather vague question. I asked him what we are. Sometimes, if I have the answer to one question, it helps another part of my brain kick into gear. In answer to my question, my son immediately said, “Americans are consumers. We are a nation of consumers.” What does he mean we are a nation of consumers? I haven’t had enough money to be considered a decent consumer for twenty years!

When I sit down late at night to relax after working during the day, what do the comedians like to talk about? “Americans are fat. Americans are way too fat. All we do is eat and sit around.” I beg your pardon!? I’m just finishing my third book. I’m almost done with my new purse. I painted another two posters today for sale, and I’ll be going out to tend my garden later. After relaxing, I will practice the congas and go for a bike ride. I’ve had one meal today.

As I was reading an article about vegetarianism, the writer got up on his soapbox and began talking about all the meat Americans eat. Meat? What is that? Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not vegetarian. I just don’t always have the money for meat. In fact, I raise a vegetable garden so we can eat what I grow.

Oh, and how about this one? Americans are materialistic because they have so much money. If only I had that particular problem. I could count myself blessed indeed! There are months when my family and I get so low on money for the necessities, that I have to do things like make “mystery soup”. Want to know the ingredients in one of my mystery soup recipes? Spices, water, mustard and sugar, with a beef bouillon cube, or the seasoning from a Ramen noodle package.

Have you ever gone days with almost nothing to eat, just because you couldn’t afford food after paying bills?

Have you ever eaten green beans day after day, until you get to the point when, if you put a green bean into your mouth, your body revolts, and you gag? 

If you can answer, “Yes” to these questions, and you live in the United States, you are one of the “un-lumpables”.  You may be American, but you can’t be thrown into the pile of lazy, fat, eat-all-they-want- of-everything-around-them shoppers that people keep saying we are.  We are Americans, it is true, but we are hard-working, caring people who share what we have with our neighbors, and we know that our neighbors are hard-working, caring people too. 

It’s time we stopped bearing the cross for sins we aren’t committing, because one thing we aren’t:  we aren’t Messiahs.  We are just ordinary folks, trying to make this world come together in a nicer way than it has for awhile. 

One good thing about being an un-lumpable:  you can lose weight.  I know I have.

Must be all the calories I work off shopping for diamonds while eating crab puffs.

Oh, please….