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Ummmmm... That would be nothing, Monster. The Recession hit this town very hard and has never gone away despite whatever lies the economists are telling about the US in general. Cortez is a small town located smack in the middle of two very large and very desperate Native American reservations. That means lots of people vying for whatever few jobs there are. And there's no major employers here. People either get by growing big crops of pinto beans or else shaking down any tourists who may happen by. There's some very spectacular mountains and deserts out here, but you have to be determined to come see them. The largest metro area of any size is a good 4 hour drive away.
We are so remote that even Public Radio has given up on us. Their transmission tower went down in the last big snow storm before this one, and they never have bothered to get it running again. We DO have Radio Free Navajo, though. Except I can't understand it.
I need to get my courage up to quit the Bates and seek my fortune in Durango 50 miles from here. Durango has turned into a very chic Mountain Resort with housing prices to match. But they have lots of jobs - compared to here, anyhow. And Durango would be the place where gardeners get hired at $14.00/hour or so.
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