Our Neighbors, Ourselves

Hi guys.

I've been listening to this cd in the car as I drive about.

Another D.I. find. Which is great, because apparently, they don't make this cd anymore.

It has stories by some of my favorites (Sarah Vowel!), with a good mix of funny and serious. First though, I have to say. I love Ira Glass; he's great. But when he narrates his own pieces? ...not my cup of tea. Just saying. I prefer him as in interviewer/moderator/host.

Than I came to this story.

The Test - Scott Carrier

You see, Scott is from Salt Lake City.

Here is a picture of him:

He just released a new book a couple months ago. I'm adding it to my Christmas wish list.

You can find out more about the book here.

Scott and I are similar. 

We are both Avenues dwellers.

We make sudden decisions in regards to our living space.

We are interested in interviewing people.

     Me as a former anthropology student / census enumerator / spanish speaker.

     Him as an anthropology documentar / government interviewer / radio personality.

In this story, he interviews Medicaid recipients with schizophrenia. 

It just about broke my heart. 

These are our people, you see.

They are our friends, family, neighbors.

They are our brothers; we are their keepers.

Literally.

Some of these things these people shared, I have heard my brother Christian say.

Christian has autism and obsessive compulsive disorder. He recognizes that he is different. He's created his own world for himself. I watch as he tries to draw us into his world and interests, while at the same time, struggles to understand the boundaries and expectations of the "real" world. 

Christian is also dependent on Medicaid.

Luckily for Christian, he also has a family that will always be there to support him. 

So many others do not have that luxury. 

You can see why this story broke my heart a little bit.

Anyway. 

I listened to this story in the car. I got home, but stayed sitting, in the cold, to hear the end. Oh yeah, and as Ira often says "This story mentions sex. Not in any graphic way, but it's existence. So if there are kids in the room, you might want to know that."