I get that people are being polite and it's just societal convention to ask, but of late, when people have asked me how I'm doing, I feel bad to tell them the truth. Of course, they feel bad afterwards too.
Them: "How you doing?"
Me (taking deep breath): Well, I'm homeless, broke, unemployed and no real job prospects. I just spent $120 in money I don't have to be told my crappy car is unrepairable. My other car, which I gave my mom, which we paid $3000 a few months ago to get the transmission replaced, has a motor problem that will cost a minimum of $400 to fix. I'm cashing out my retirement fund to get myself out of some of this staggering debt and have some money to survive and, yeah, my $600+ fed student loan payments kick in next month. I think I can get that deferred, thus piling on debt due to more interest, but I'm not sure. I am getting sworn in to the Bar, but I don't wanna be a lawyer and it's just an excuse for them to charge me more money I don't have. Other than that, I'm doing good. I guess. How are you?
Them: I need a drink.
At this point I wouldn't be surprised to have the following conversation with a mechanic:
Mechanic: Mr. Carpenter, I have bad news. Your car has terminal cancer.
Me: Cars don't get cancer!
Mechanic: We've never seen it either, but it's definitely cancer.
Me: Figures.
P.S. I'm not really freaking out. I just kinda shrug my shoulders when I go through this sorta thing, which seems to be disturbingly often, so please no concerned messages. I just like to poke fun and find the lighter side of difficult times. I know all this will pass.
P.P.S. Still, probably best not to ask how I'm doing/what I'm up to for a while.
Them: "How you doing?"
Me (taking deep breath): Well, I'm homeless, broke, unemployed and no real job prospects. I just spent $120 in money I don't have to be told my crappy car is unrepairable. My other car, which I gave my mom, which we paid $3000 a few months ago to get the transmission replaced, has a motor problem that will cost a minimum of $400 to fix. I'm cashing out my retirement fund to get myself out of some of this staggering debt and have some money to survive and, yeah, my $600+ fed student loan payments kick in next month. I think I can get that deferred, thus piling on debt due to more interest, but I'm not sure. I am getting sworn in to the Bar, but I don't wanna be a lawyer and it's just an excuse for them to charge me more money I don't have. Other than that, I'm doing good. I guess. How are you?
Them: I need a drink.
At this point I wouldn't be surprised to have the following conversation with a mechanic:
Mechanic: Mr. Carpenter, I have bad news. Your car has terminal cancer.
Me: Cars don't get cancer!
Mechanic: We've never seen it either, but it's definitely cancer.
Me: Figures.
P.S. I'm not really freaking out. I just kinda shrug my shoulders when I go through this sorta thing, which seems to be disturbingly often, so please no concerned messages. I just like to poke fun and find the lighter side of difficult times. I know all this will pass.
P.P.S. Still, probably best not to ask how I'm doing/what I'm up to for a while.
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