What does a Depression look like?

And what does a Depression look like?

Hearing the forecast yesterday for a 10” snowfall starting today and reviewing the aviation charts for today, I called Delta to see if we could change our flight from 1 PM back to 6 AM to make sure we get to NYC so we can be sure to make our flight to Kenya tomorrow (a very nervous traveler here). The Delta rep heard my story, then checked the availability on the 6 AM flight and told me to just go to the airport in the morning and it would only cost $50 per ticket to change the reservation, rather than $150 per ticket plus the price differential if I changed the reservations over the phone with him. I thanked him. And up we got at 3 AM, drove to Bangor, made our ticket change, paid our $50 per person and off we flew at 6 to JFK. Of course, going through security with my titanium knees and hundreds of electronics in my carryon made the TSA drool - Bay says traveling with me is like traveling with Gammy, except I don’t carry (and don’t even try to carry) a Swiss Army knife through security.
We had a quick flight to JFK, deplaned and arrived at Baggage Claim to find ONE bag, Bay’s. It’s a nonstop flight and they’ve lost my bag? A lady from Delta came over to help and after several phone calls, she determined that the bag did make the plane. After several more phone calls to her staff, she concluded that my bag must have fallen off the conveyer belt, and had someone check for it. Bingo. And down the ramp it came with a bound. I thanked her.
We walked toward the street, and a guy asked if he could take us to the city. I told him that we had a reservation at a local hotel and would try to catch the shuttle. Fine, he said, “you need to take the Air Train to Station C.” I thanked him and we headed for the Air Train.
After arriving at Station C, we followed the chute (looks like the kind they use to herd cattle to the slaughterhouse but it has a canvas top over it) to the “Shuttles to Hotels” area, parking our bags on the sidewalk to the right. An airport employee asked what we were waiting for, I told him, and he said we were in the wrong spot and we should move under the shelter where the shuttles come, pointing to our left. I thanked him and we moved our bags. I was beginning to see a pattern about now.
A Marriott van pulled up. The driver put his window down and asked where we were going. I told him and he said he would have taken us but it was a little too far and our shuttle would be along shortly. I thanked him.
Our van did arrive a few minutes later, and we disembarked at the Holiday Inn Express concerned that we might have to sit in the lobby for 4 or 5 hours since it was only 8:30. The desk man welcomed us, told us he had a room right away, and by the way, we could have their free breakfast. He gave us our room key. I thanked him. After a large breakfast, we are in our room ready for a nap.
So this is what a Depression looks like - people who might have ignored you in the past all doing a little extra to help you out. I mean, this is JFK! This place eats people up, and spits them out, always the worse for wear. So what’s going on?
Times are going to be tough, and I thought it would get really ugly, but maybe it’s going to be just the opposite. This is our time to prove our worth, and maybe we’re beginning to understand that. Or....

it was just Sunday morning and people weren’t busy and had nothing better to do....