It's been an interesting month as a Census Enumerator. I'm getting better and better at it. I think being older helps - people accord me more respect. I'm losing weight too - six to eight pounds less now than the beginning of August. Lots of walking. Meeting people I would otherwise never meet.
One class of folks I’ve heard neighbors mention are those who, at the start of the Covid pandemic, picked up and left their homes for parts unknown. I see the empty houses and apartments and wonder. Where are they? What are they doing now? Will they ever come back? It’s as if they had an evacuation, but I didn’t get the memo.
When I first started, I expected to find two subsets of people among those who hadn't turned in their census information: 1.) Anti-gummint, don't-tread-on-me, rebel types waving Confederate flags, and 2.) Illegal aliens dodging ICE. Interestingly, at least in Sacramento, the first group seems nearly-absent. (I wonder what things are like in Yuba City?) There are some people here who refuse to participate in the Census, and seem cynically anti-government, but they seem to be as much anti-Trump as pro-Trump. And among Spanish-speakers, whatever their immigration status (about which we don't inquire), no one seems particularly-worried about disclosing information. (There are some Asians who DO seem worried, though.)
People seem quite a bit nicer than I expected. Even when pressed for time, people give me their full, polite attention. It's demanding walking around in the Sacramento heat, but I don't have to worry about peoples' bad attitudes too.
Covid-19 is out there: it's a fact of life. I've seen signs on several houses warning off visitors. The weirdest incident was when I knocked on a door in a luxury apartment complex. A shirtless African-American caretaker with cryptic tattoos on his arm and chest answered. I could see there was some kind of plastic curtain hanging just inside the door. He whispered a warning about the resident's fever. (I just wished he had worn a mask.) The Fallen Place was in there. Unnerving.
I get help from children. I was trying to get into a gated area. Even though her brother chastised her for talking to strangers, an 8-year-old girl directed me to a gate and warned me about slipping in the mud. She seemed very concerned that I do what I needed to do even though she had never seen or met me before. Sacramento's answer to Lisa Simpson!
I love the dogs! One doleful dustmop of a terrier was trying to keep people away from his master's door. Poor guy! I meet many trusting dogs trying to please as I enter their yards. I entered one compound that had a big gate with a 'beware of dog' sign. I expected a Baskerville hound. Instead, I surprised a small terrier and a bunch of puppies. I unnerved a powerful Rottweiler when I entered his yard this afternoon. Not even a bark from him. One Pitbull/Boxer cross dog was alone on a Saturday afternoon, and he just wanted some company. He was happy to see me. His water was low, so I gave him some of mine.
Knocked on one door. No one was home, but a voice spoke. The homeowner was in a distant city planning a funeral, but could observe me through a camera. Technology! She tried to interview, but it didn't work. On April 1st, she had had 14 people in her house, and there were just too many complicated names and birthdays to make the process efficient. She'll try to finish online.
If you haven't finished your Census work, do it now!
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