Captain Oblivious

If you're sufficiently, um, oblivious that you think the folks who stayed in New Orleans (I'm not talking about the rare excessively stubborn, ornery, crotchety types who chase rescuers off their land) are somehow to blame for the desparate situation they found themselves in, read this (via Making Light).

Go ahead. I'll wait right here.

Back so soon? No. Go back and read the comments. Seriously.

Ok, I'll stop nagging you. The post in question is an essay about what it's like to be poor. I'll clarify that - it's about being poor in the US. The first line is: "Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs." The last line is: "Being poor is people wondering why you didn't leave."

If you've ever been less than rich, something in that post will strike a chord. Personally, I've never been poor. The author, who is now a successful writer, has. I've never been on welfare or been homeless. I've been fortunate, no question about it.

Oh, I've watched my mother decide which of the bills would get paid during any given month, but I've never gone hungry. I've been the 'poor kid' at school through high school and college, but I went to a private high school (though my parents both worked multiple jobs to afford it) and I got to go to college. I had to choose between a class ring and our high school yearbook because I couldn't afford both (I foolishly chose the ring, because part of dating was exchanging rings, which seemed like a good reason at the time), but I didn't have to put off applying for colleges or turn down scholarships because of application fees.

These things made me *feel* poor at the time, but I know better. Even just feeling poor had a lasting impact on my life, though - it drives my wife crazy, but I refuse to use coupons or ask for discounts. Too many bad memories. Dumb, right? Imagine how bizarre I'd be if I'd been really poor...

Many of the comments are memories from others. One is from the author's sister, and it puts the original post in perspective. Another of my favorites was:

Being poor is having the grocery store checker give you dirty looks and make comments to the next customer about "my tax dollars being wasted" when you use food stamps to buy a day-old cake on sale and a package of birthday candles for your child.

Being poor is being overwhelmingly grateful that the next person in line says to the checker, "I can't think of a better use for my tax dollars than to pay for a poor child to have a birthday, you heartless prick."

Honestly, you ought to read the whole thing. I don't know how it will make you feel, only that it will make you feel.