Marvin

Many of you are well aware of "Marvin". Marvin has become increasingly more popular. He has friends and enemies alike. He likely receives more phone calls than you or I could ever imagine or dream of on a daily basis.

Marvin is afterall the automated phone man that those receiving unemployment need to call weekly. For some, Marvin is their most important phone call of the week.

I have never (knock, knock) personally had the opportunity to call Marvin; however, I am well aware of Marvin. Many of my friends and loved ones haven't been as fortunate and they obviously know Marvin on a first name basis.

A good friend of mine, CH received a call when I was with him on Sunday that he was laid off. While the news wasn't entirely shocking, it was upsetting nonetheless. Later that evening at my parents, with my brother we were talking about unemployment and Marvin. My brother had never heard of Marvin. He said that he is a government employee and all of his friends and associates are employed. I found it more than surprising that in today's economy he has not known anyone to be personally affiliated with Marvin.

Likewise, on Saturday at LL's daughter's birthday party it was entertaining how freely people talked about Marvin as the majority of the men are employed in the automotive industry. There is even "Marvin Monday" discount golf days!

Maybe Marvin is only a Michigan icon of unemployment. Maybe had I mentioned "Veronica" my brother who lives in Vermont would have been able to relate! Maybe Not.