Confederacy of the Humbled
“Like the Freemasons, the Confederacy of the Humbled is a close-knit brotherhood whose members travel with no outward markings, but who know each other at a glance.” ― Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow
We’ve been on the road about six months so far. Not quite “living in a van down by the river,” but at times, almost.
It’s in campgrounds, Walmarts, and laundromats that we frequently get to meet and rub shoulders with others of the Confederacy.
A handful of observations and much appreciated perspective from our time amongst the humble and humbled…
America-the-Beautiful is on full display in the friendliness, generosity, and kindliness of the innumerable strangers who’ve crossed our path. Campgrounds might be the friendliest places in our great nation. Everyone is curious, chatty, and generously helpful with recommendations and advice. Everyone is from somewhere and all have fascinating stories about their travels and how they came to the road and to roaming.
A Cadillac amongst the Chevies - The Airstream kinda sticks out. It’s not always comfortable to be a Cadillac amongst the Chevies. It’s infrequent, but there have been times when I’ve been concerned about security.
At one spot up in the Rio Grande Gorge, I asked our camp host about crime in that neighborhood. He said, “Sure, there’s crime. There’s crime everywhere, so maybe a little here at times, but no more than elsewhere. Keep in mind, a lot of the people around here don’t have much. And you have a bunch of cool sh*t - a beautiful Airstream, Starlink, Solo Stove. Some of them are gonna covet your sh*t and try to steal it. So, don’t leave your stuff out and lying around.”
Walmart and Dollar stores - Walmarts are amazing and ubiquitous. I’ve spent more time in these stores in the past six months than I have in my previous 58 years combined. Wow, what a company! They provide a necessary source of just about anything you might need and supply humble communities that would otherwise be food and resource deserts. Same goes for the various Dollar Store chains. My logistician friends would likely agree and approve; they are miracles of timely logistics. And they graciously allow truckers and RVers a reasonably safe place to spend the night when in need.
Laundromats are the place to see how the other half lives. I suspect there are very few of my readers who’ve spent much time in a laundromat recently. Most of us take for granted an abundance of running water, space for laundry machines, and the ability to do our washing whenever it suits us. In one spot in Truth or Consequences (yep, that’s the real name of a real town in NM!), a local farmer or gardener had left huge baskets of free fresh vegetables. This was not anemic, pale, unwanted produce, but huge, ripe, juicy maters and crisp lettuce and pearly cauliflower. At another spot, an informal free clothing exchange had evolved - leave anything you no longer need, take anything you do.
“35 years old, eating a steady diet of government cheese, thrice divorced, and living in a van down by the river!” - Matt Foley (Chris Farley), Motivational Speaker
There is an entire subculture of folks who live out of their cars. These are not the 20-something van-life vagabonds of popular culture. These tend to be older people rattling along in jalopies with no AC, one of four bald tires their only spare, with everything they own hoarded inside, trying to find a safe and quiet place to be left alone, just trying to get by.
A fixed-income - In most places we’ve stayed, we tend to be on the younger side. A great many folks aren’t out exploring the country and visiting National Parks. They call their camper home, and it may not have moved in years. Like the car people, these good folks are doing the best they can to get by. Sure, there may be a little suspicion of us when we roll up in our shiny Silver Submarine and spool out the Starlink, but after a wave and smile, they warm up and are chatty and open.
In his novel, Amor continued with his description of the humbled, “For having fallen suddenly from grace, those in the Confederacy share a certain perspective. Knowing beauty, influence, fame, (wealth - my addition), and privilege to be borrowed rather than bestowed, they are not easily impressed. They are not quick to envy or take offense…They remain committed to living among their peers, but they greet adulation with caution, ambition with sympathy, and condescension with an inward smile.”
Gratitude - I would add that we of the Confederacy are grateful. Grateful for every day, sunrise and sunset, every campfire and kindness, every chance encounter with good people and the glorious beauty of our great nation and its citizens. Grateful for God’s grace and mercy and His abundant blessings.
And, now I am grateful that you’ve read this far! As always, I’m grateful that anybody reads any of my musings. 😉
Peace.