Poor

The other day I forgot my wallet and found myself on the way to work with $9 in my pocket. I used $2 to ride to work, and I needed $2 to get back home.

By noon I was starving. After much consideration I went to the store by the subway station to get some nuts and fruit for $1.25.



Yep, Healthy Mix. 280 calories. I ate one nut at a time, so they would last longer.

Change:



I really, really wanted coffee, but my coffee costs $2.06—$1.69 wouldn't get me much more food. I looked on Midtownlunch.com for the cheapest taco cart: I could get a half-decent (one-third decent?) burrito and beans and rice for $3.25—but it was all the way over on Park Avenue (three blocks). I just couldn't bring myself to get up and walk all the way over there.

Finally I asked my colleague if she could lend me $5. She gave me a ten (thanks Emily), and I was rich!



I bought a feast for myself: double espresso and a sandwich and brownie.



Greg and I are poor folks, and we worry about money all the time. But we drink good coffee, we can always buy lunch if we need to, and we don't have to walk three blocks to the cheap place. We're lucky.