Family Man

The principal casualties of this recession are not middle-aged, out-of-work professionals, but young men like Bobby, more of whom are unemployed than at any time in almost two decades. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15 percent of men ages 20 to 24 were out of work in the first quarter of this year, compared with 7.4 percent for men age 25 and older. The numbers are even higher for those who, like Bobby, lack a high school diploma or college education. Many are trying to find jobs in construction and other trades that have been hit hard by the recession. They do not tend to carry the union cards that guarantee higher wages, and they don't believe in accepting welfare. Hard work, to them, is as honorable as higher education. But the economy has betrayed them, and many have no savings to draw from, no well-off parents to turn to for financial help.



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