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For months now, the news wires have been full of terrifying stories about the ongoing economic meltdown. Banks once considered indestructible are tottering, businesses are closing, and the jobless rate is soaring.

Wall Street seems so far removed from the typical American existence that at first it may be difficult to fathom the ramifications of such a recession. Unfortunately, one doesn't have to look very far to see exactly how the state of the economy is affecting mainstream America.

Signs of the economic decline are around every corner in the small blue-collar town in which this writer lives. Unkempt yards, overfilled garbage cans, and sagging fences are common sights. "For Sale" signs beg for attention along every street.

As local businesses lay off workers or close doors altogether, shock is often the first emotion experienced. It's simply impossible, at first, to comprehend the fact that the world has just turned upside down. As Mom and Dad return home from what was expected to be a typical day's work, the pink slip serves as a warning that life will never be the same.

Families all across America are sitting at kitchen tables trying to balance a budget that falls woefully short. First to go is the cable; the cell phones are next, followed by the land-line. The subscription to the local paper is cancelled, and Internet service is terminated. And still, there isn't enough money to pay the bills.

Plans to fix that rickety fence are put on hold and over time the fence, as depressed as the economy, slumps to the ground. The storm door bangs angrily in the wind. There is no money to buy a new hinge. Money for lawnmower gas becomes a luxury, and weeds band together to plan an attack on what was once a pristine lawn.

The decaying neighborhood is a mirror of the despair evident in the faces of the people.

Credit cards are maxed out to pay mortgages and buy groceries. Bills pile up in the mail. Soon, if nothing changes and no help arrives, the family will begin packing those belongings that can easily be moved. Maybe friends or relatives have some extra room. Another "For Sale" sign decorates the street.

These are the faces of the recession. These aren't people who simply won't get their multi-million dollar bonuses, or who have been forced to sell off one of their boats.

These people are real. They're families, friends and neighbors, coworkers and soccer coaches. They're the people who made the right decisions, who lived a careful life, and who must now pay the price for the greed and corruption on Wall Street. Wall Street should come to this small town and take a look around.

But be advised: leave the jets at home.

Learn more about this author, Melinda Clayton.
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