Um, yeah. See, the thing is, that’s all bullshit.

I’ve been most if not all of the things on that list. And a few others. And I drove $75 cars because I couldn’t afford an $800 car.

At no point did I lose my feet. If being poor means I couldn’t get up off my ass and walk- or run- away from an instrument of destruction, then no, I’ve never been poor.

remember the region blizzard/ice storm in, I think it was 99, when thousands of people lost power?  When I was living in my smaller-than-an-apartment home in Dyer, we lost power. I bundled up the wife and the 3 year old oglet , shovelled my (given to me) van out of the driveway, drove as far as we could towards moms, jammed the van in a snowbank and walked the balance of the way through huge snowdrifts.  If poor means being too fucking lazy to get off your ass and save your own life, then, no, I’ve never been poor.

And, Broad, I don’t see you sitting on your ass expecting anyone to bail you out of your difficulties, you fight your way ouit of your own troubles, you always have. That’s the difference, in my mind. You may be broke, but you ain’t poor. Fact is, you’re rich, a rich personality, a rich life. Being broke never diminished that for you, did it?

(smiles weakly) I appreciate that.

I don’t necessarily think that the post’s original intent was a “What’s poorer than poor” contest; I mean, the author himself is no longer in dire straights, so that would be pretty disingenous. It just got to me because I’m so frustrated right now.

I gotcha. Come sit this afternoon with us, have some beers, eat some burgers. It won;’t fix anything, but you’ll feel better.