Signs of Poverty

~ Gottfried

If your phone has an FM Radio on it, you just know it’s not a smart phone, like its owner. If you’re part of team “send me my photos” causing stress to people at every function. When others were buying a phone, you bought a torch. If you buy daily data bundles, how do you even convince someone that you have future plans?

If you can’t walk behind the sofa in your living room because it’s placed side by side with the wall. When you’re staying in a place that when someone offers to drop you off, there’s a spot they leave you so you can continue home on foot. Because the geography is against them fulfilling their act of kindness.

If you go to a restaurant and the price determines what you will eat as opposed to what you’re craving. If you catch yourself sleeping again, just laugh at yourself. If you cook from the veranda because there’s no space for a kitchen in your apartment. If you wait to eat the piece of meat last at the end of the meal, it just shows you’re not used to it.

If you lock your car and pull the handle to check if it’s really locked. First of all, you have trust issues. You don’t trust the car, you don’t trust the key and worst still, you don’t trust your insurance cover. If you turn off your engine while the car is at the top of the hill. If you wind down the windows and turn off the air conditioning of your car. Choosing heat involuntarily.

If you’re paranoid. Every time you think someone is trying to come rob you. You’re not conscious, you just have little. If you wake up before your alarm. What kind of poverty wouldn’t let you sleep? If you can’t get off your bed from both sides. If your bedroom light has no bedside switch. You switch off the light and then run blindly to your bed.

On Valentine’s eve, while others are shopping for presents, you’re at home composing a poem. You’re not romantic, you’re just managing scarcity. If you think you’re eating his money. You’re not, he feels sorry for you. You’re his poverty alleviation scheme. If you work between the Christmas and new year holiday. Working hard wouldn’t help you. Further your studies.

Can you see the signs?

©️ Gottfried. All rights reserved

78 thoughts on “Signs of Poverty”

      1. I can’t tell if you are serious or in banter. I’ve had some serious events of late that have rendered me almost speechless, my ego is sadly not subdued yet, pesky thing, and I realised I, actually, know nothing important about life. It keeps shocking me. And I have aged and I don’t snap back quite as fast when the worst thing doesn’t happen, as I always have said it doesn’t, but I was young and arrogant and super strong and a mouth that could fight back ruthlessly. I now realise that shutting up would have brought me to the same place anyway and like Gregorious in Night Train to Lisbon (book) it is the train that decided that the trip will go on and on … no possibility of turning around.
        I struggle to read this book because it’s like gin, it makes me feel, as Dylan Moran describes the effect of gin – all about me. It makes me aware of my blood, the soul, the life force that seems to leak from somewhere like a helium balloon shaped in a number used at birthday parties.
        Some days I wish it would hurry up and others I hope it sticks around until … until no one needs me anymore. But what if I don’t pass on then, and I am poor, and no one needs me? What will I do? Where will I go? What use will I have?
        I was worried about my funeral costs. Marion says “donate your body to science!” Apparently they will take any body no matter how beat up it’s innards are from medications and medical procedures and pure terror from time to time and then, then you don’t need a coffin or cremation costs. Clickedy click the train moves on. Who can tell what tomorrow brings?
        I don’t suppose this is what you wanted, but there it is.
        If I ever had a sense of humour I think it has lost its whatever is needed to crank it up again. I did laugh madly at The Big Bang Theory, I don’t even find it that funny anymore. Happy, Texas is a movie I laughed a lot in.
        It’s definitely me, Mr President of Banter Republic. Not you.
        Do you tango? Salsa? If not, you should do it while you can. Fabulous fun.
        I hope you know God. Do you know God. It is imperative that you do. Just saying.

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