Nomad - A member of a people having no permanent abode, a person who does not stay in the same place.
Under the umbrella of the United Methodist Church is a group called Nomads. They travel around the country in their RV's to do volunteer mission work. I remember that, years ago, they used to come to the Children's Home here in Central Florida to do odd jobs, including changing out every light bulb in every building and cottage. They parked in a wooded area and spent their evenings cooking out and having fun.
This is not about them.
Some new retirees, including friends of mine, buy themselves a fancy RV and travel around the country for two or three years. There's a fancy RV storage facility close by called "Adult Toys" where you can stash your RV when you're not traveling.
This is not about them.
This is about a film called Nomadland that has earned countless awards including four Oscars. Did I love it? That would not be the word I'd use. This film is beyond sad, bleak and depressing. Almost nothing happens. The dialogue is sparse. The landscape is beautiful in a way - but fiercely sad.
So why watch it? It focuses on a woman named Fern. She is one of a growing number of older Americans who, due to no fault of their own, a stable existence is unaffordable. It stars one of my favorite actors ever, Frances McDormand.
Fern and her husband worked in a factory and had a good life. Then, around 2011, the factory shut down. Then the town shut down. Then Fern's husband died, leaving her unable to make her mortgage payments. So Fern, like countless of other older folks, sold and gave away everything she had and jumped into her old van which she'd tricked out herself, and took to the road.
One of the first things Fern does on screen is pee outside on a freezing day. Later on we see that she has a big paint can (with lid) as a toilet. She has fixed up her tiny space herself, including a way to heat up her chicken noodle soup that she eats from the can.
She occasionally meets up with other older folks to share meals and news about temp jobs. Fern does have some options. When she's forced to stay with her sister while her van is being repaired, they invite her to stay on. But she declines. When asked if she is homeless she says, not homeless, just houseless.
So why is this film important? Because it's not just Fern, it's about thousands of older Americans living itinerant lives. It's about the failure of the American dream for many of us oldies who've worked hard all of our lives.
I can relate to Fern's fierce independence. But one of the things totally lacking in her life is safety. If you've never felt unsafe it's hard to understand the terror it can bring on. I love touting the good things about growing old. And there are many. But being old, alone and poor is the pits.
***
