Addicted to a Lifestyle
It was Pedro’s first time as a tourist in Los Angeles, California and he was fascinated by the seeming contrast between wealth and poverty in the city. On the first hand, there were many beautiful buildings especially stores that sell high-end items like clothes, shoes, bags and personal electronics.
Also, there were numerous restaurants and fast food chains that sell delicious foods. Newish looking and beautiful cars passed thru the streets while stylishly dressed young people liven up the streets wherever they go.
But mingling with all these beauty are the closed up small businesses with their front displayed covered in dirt and graffiti. He has also passed encampments of homeless people whom he kept a good distance with because of all the dangerous looking people.
He was also intimidated by all the discarded syringes and other objects related to drug use. But most of all, he was disgusted by the sheer amount of garbage left in the streets and the smell of human filth which emanated.
The reason why he came to Los Angeles was to get to know America because he has applied for an IT job there and was eager to earn American dollars. So far, he was getting good responses on the companies he applied with.
But his recent online research were showing to him the darker side of America which he doesn’t want to be in contact with. This was why he came to personally check it out. He came to see if life on America was indeed greener than his own country which was not as economically rich as America.
As far as his mind can deduce, as long as he strayed away from the darker side of America, he should be in the clear. He might even get a chance to become an American citizen one day if he gets lucky.
With his mind decided on accepting one of the IT jobs being offered to him by one of the American companies willing to sponsor the visa of foreign workers, he decided to spend the remainder of his tourist days by sightseeing the many beautiful sights of the city.
He bought two cheap sandwiches and two bottles of water at a street vendor so he can eat one now and the remainder during the evening when he was at his cheap hotel. Although he had the money to lavish on himself, his poor upbringing reminded him to always save money whenever he can.
He began eating the sandwich while drinking his bottle of water. As he did, he saw what seemed to be a homeless person lying in the street. The first thing he noticed about the “homeless” person was how stylish he was.
He was sporting dreadlocks and designer sunglasses & clothes, although they were very dirty already and looks unwashed at all. He was also sporting tattoos. Pedro realized that if the homeless man was ever cleaned, he would look like any stylish celebrity on television.
He pitied the homeless person and decided to give him his spare sandwich and bottle of water. As he tried to give the homeless person his sandwich and bottle of water, he was surprised when the homeless person turned down his offer.
“Could you give me some money or cigarettes and beer instead?”, said the homeless man, “I don’t eat food from cheap vendors.”
Pedro felt a slight anger of being rejected by the homeless person. Nevertheless he just returned near the food vendor and resumed eating his sandwich and bottle of water. Yet, he can’t believe how a hungry looking homeless person could reject an offer of food and water.
“They’re addicted to their lifestyles,” said the street vendor suddenly, “they can’t seem to accept the reality of their situation now that they are broke and homeless. They still think they deserve the best of everything even though they have no money to buy them.”
“You know that homeless man?”, asked Pedro, “It’s crazy to think that a man with no money to buy food would still insist on eating expensive food when he has no money to buy them.”
“He used to have a good and high paying job, but got laid off and because of one reason or another, can’t find a job anymore,” smiled the street vendor, “I think he used to live a high life thinking that money would forever come to him. He never realized that without money, life is very hard.”
Pedro thanked the street vendor and walked some more in the less visited streets of the city where he saw decay and poverty in the streets. He began to realize that if he ever loses his job in America, the fate of the homeless man could be his as well.
He further realized that with the high standards of living in America and in many other first world countries, any missteps in your finances or job could easily lead you in poverty and homelessness.
After spending the remainder of his tourist days seeing the beauty of America, he returned to his own country to just stay there.
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The Book of Riches
“This is how you spent my hard earned money?”, said Amonsak as he threw the book he was holding in the floor, “Did you know that I would have to work for a week just to replace the money you spent on this book.”
“But it’s a very valuable book, father,” said Somchai, “with it, we can do a lot of things.”
“You and your dreams. I knew I shouldn’t have given you a chance to go to school. You should have been spending your time instead working on our farm.”
“But I don’t want to be a farmer, father. I want to be an engineer or even a doctor.”...