At 76, Clemmy Beasley sells “fresh raccoons” outside her home, a room lined with zinc sheets with a net of sheds in the back. The corpses are still stacked in the freezer in the kitchen, a sign that the business is thriving. “It tastes like chicken”, he guarantees.
The office was born out of necessity. About a decade ago, when he first spoke with Expresso, this former auto worker in Detroit received $166 (€158) from Social Security each month. Then and now, he sits in a rocking chair under the porch with an old semi-acoustic guitar and announces, “20 dollars each, 30 for two.”
Beasley became a popular figure, symbolizing the recovery from severe austerity. It all started with the bankruptcy of the city, which in 2013 had a debt of 300 million dollars (286 million euros) and an unemployment rate of almost 25%.
“Times have changed,” says Expresso American, which has appeared in recent days on strike pickets promoted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), one of the unions in the United States. “The raccoon man is back,” read some posters.
The workers did not ask for a job, but a 46% salary increase over the next four years, the number of concessions offered to members of the “Big Three” management: Ford, General Motors (GM) and Stellandis. “Everything from food, fuel, housing loan is expensive. The savings are gone,” says Beasley’s neighbor Claudia Pedraza, who has worked at the GM factory since 2015.
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Jean Rhys is a contributor to OE Mag, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter to them. Her work highlights relevant stories, emerging trends, and key issues, presenting them in a balanced, accessible, and reader-friendly way.