Saturday 30 July 2011

...And then it was payday.

And so, her barren bank account has pennies again.
Or so she thought.

Once she pays out her rent (which she happily hands over), the car insurance (which she is less than happy about), her credit card bill (should she chop that up again?) and the money she owed Frank (for christmas flights to Berlin)... there aren't that many pennies left.

Certainly not enough to purchase all the beautiful items she has been coveting in this month's Vogue. Really she should stop buying it, but it's a little taste of heaven once a month. A little look at the dark side, those things she might be able to touch but never wear.

Save, her Father says to her. He has been saying this since she had her first money box.
Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves, says her Grandfather.
Fancy lunch? says her best friend.
Oh my god - you have to have those shoes, says the other.

It's no wonder I never have pennies she moans.
Her Papa says that the more you earn the more you spend. He gives it a special name. She just calls it greed. The more you have, the more you want.
(Of everything in fact... except maybe ice-cream, although Frank may disagree. Never too much ice-cream)

If I had nothing, she mused, would I crave anything? I don't think I would realise what I was missing.
Perhaps I should sell everything, give my pennies away and move somewhere simple!

But if I sell everything, would I keep anything? Does the box of momentos in the attic mean anything to anyone else? Do they have a value? Would anyone buy them?
Perhaps I should get famous, she said to the Dog who was staring at her blankly. If I was famous then someone, somewhere would buy something I touched. Well, then if everyone did that, then I would have sold all my things and more. Like the pavement outside my house. Then I would make lots of money. I could get rid of all my things and then give all my money away too... after I had bought a ticket to somewhere simple of course.

Her sister overheard her talking to the Dogand chipped in with, but if you had once had everything and then gave it all away, you would know what you were missing. How do you know if you'd be happy then?

Oh and what a question it is...