As a freelance writer, I work when my child is either napping, or at preschool. Because his school is not particularly near our house, I’ll usually swing by a local coffee shop to sip a $2 coffee and use their Wi-Fi to work. Obviously, that’s not an option when I’m on a $1.50 budget for the whole day, so here I am, using the library to work instead. The trouble with that? For one thing, it doesn’t open until 10am, so I lost a precious hour of my work time waiting for it to open. I snuck in a very enjoyable four mile run on a fantastic spring morning in the meantime, so I’m not totally complaining–but I’m now extra starving and hungry. (Ooops, that’s the same thing. See how I’m doing with this budget)? The other problem? It’s not quiet, thanks to the buzz of kids gearing up for toddler story time–and some clueless lobby patrons who have apparently never heard of a “library voice.” (Can you tell the $1.50 a day-inspired hunger is also making me very irritable)?
That being said, it sheds light on yet one more thing I’ve never really considered for a person living in poverty: There are limits on where you can go–even if you completely honorable intentions and reasons for being there. Take for example, what happens if you literally, have to “go.” Most of us have seen the signs on the bathrooms of public places announcing that they are for “paying customers only.” And most of us, if the need is urgent enough (or we have a child in tow doing the pee-pee dance), will be good patrons, spending a dollar or two to buy a drink, bottle of water, or some other small item to earn the right to use the facilities. But what if that little expense just wasn’t possible. Where do you go?
What I Ate: Coffee. Smoothie again (spinach, banana, peanut butter, milk, ice cubes). More peanut butter. Cheese.
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