The "You Were How Poor?" Story

It was an ordinary day. We were having lunch with Karen and Barry Walton at The Passangraham Restaurant in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. Sitting at the table talking about our trip to the jewelry store on Front Street. Then Karen told us about how Barry sold his gold high school and college class rings to buy her the diamond gold stud earrings she was wearing. They were poor when they got married and he had to sell them to be able to buy the earrings. Then Carol told them that I sold my high school and Millersville University rings so I could buy food for the family for a couple of weeks. What a way to top her story!! When we were first married and starting our family, we did struggle on my teacher's salary. Teachers were some of the worst paid professional employees. We decided that I would provide the wages and Carol would stay home and raise our three children. We had a VW fastback car that wouldn't pass inspection because the front bumper was too rusty. I cut an aluminium doorframe that I found at school to the width of the car and bolted it to the bumper holders so it would pass. Didn't look real good, but it passed without the added cost of a new chrome bumper. For vacation we went to my Aunt's place at the Chesapeake Bay where we didn't have to pay for the week's vacation. While on vacation I was talking about how our car needed new tires and my Aunt Doris slipped me the money to buy them. She was the neatest Aunt anyone could have. I did all my own home repairs to avoid the service calls. Climbed onto the third floor roof of our house many times to repair the cracks that would leak into the house and stain the second floor bedroom ceilings. We made our own furniture and carpets, as described in another of my stories. Carol was creative in the kitchen and we found new ways to use spam and noodles. Clothes were passed down from child to child. We weren't poor, but pretty close to it. I was always taking classes at Millersville and eventually moved up the pay scale and took on evening and weekend jobs. We finally made our way into the middle class. I'm sure we were one of many families in the same position, but at the time we thought we were the only ones who were struggling. I look back on those times and don't think I would have changed a thing. Our children learned some great lessons from all the struggles and can now appreciate what we went through. It has helped them cope with the trials and tribulations of raising their own families. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.