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Monroe

It was that time of the month

Bills

I dreaded picking up thebecause that was the only thing waiting in my box Bills and pizza coupons

The pizza coupons were the only thing I had to look forward to

Because I was definitely eating on a budget

I sat at the kitchen table in my apartment and opened each envelope

The first was a bill for rad The second was a bill for my masters The third was a medical bill And then I had to worry about the other essentials, like electricity and water After deducting all my bills from my paycheck, I was left with a hundred bucks

I had to survive for the next teeks on a hundred bucks

Jesus Christ

I stared at the papers around one to college was so I could have a good job so coreat salary and benefits But the job was in Manhattan, so I had to live in the city—which cost a fortune on its own With alljust to pay bills at this point

So much for the American dream

I would move out of the city and commute, but I couldn’t afford a car I couldn’t even afford a down pay a decent apartment was the one luxury I wanted to maintain

But if I wanted food, I’d have to give it up

And I did like food…a lot

I hated to sit around and feel sorry for ht, that was impossible This would be the next twenty years ofto pay bills I would work forty hours a week just to coain I didn’t even have enough uy to spend my life with because he would run the second he heard how much debt I had

And I couldn’t bla

“You aren’t going to order anything?” Cindy sat across from me at the table in the deli We both worked in the saether at the sa

“Not hungry” I just sipped ht about the crackers I would eat at my desk when I returned

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” she asked “You’ve been down all week”

Because I was drowning in debt “Do you have a roommate?”

“Uh…yes Why?”

“I’ for a roommate And a new apartment I just can’t afford my place anymore”