Reply
Fri 19 Oct, 2007 09:33 am
It seems like there are 2 distinct types of people who came up poor.... those who the experience left with empathy and those who the experience left not giving a **** about those they've risen above.
Did you come up poor and if so how has it affected your outlook?
Hell, I'm still dirt poor!
Truth, we had what we needed when I was coming up. I viewed those around us that appeared to have it better with slight distain. I saw all the toys and the fancy houses and envied.
I still do, but I look upon those who don't have it as good as I do and feel compassion. And perhaps I am not better off that I am because I am not willing to walk on others to get to the top.
We lived in a shoebox in the middle of the road. But, we were happy.
Expecially on Tuesday, when Ma would make dirt soup.
Like inventory methods:
fifo - first in, first out
lifo - last in, first out
fish - first in, still here.
What the heck. Poverty builds character, or something?
Sometimes Pa would go down and sell the pig.
Then at night, us kids would go over and steal it back.
Chai wrote:Sometimes Pa would go down and sell the pig.
Then at night, us kids would go over and steal it back.
the entrepeneurial spirit will not be quenched....good for you...
Yeah, I remember my sister would be so happy when we showed up to take her back home.
roger wrote:Like inventory methods:
fifo - first in, first out
lifo - last in, first out
fish - first in, still here.
What the heck. Poverty builds character, or something?
I'm living proof that isn't necessarily so....
Chai wrote:Yeah, I remember my sister would be so happy when we showed up to take her back home.
I think I may have met that pig in Fayetteville one night on military payday....thank god for penicillin....
Cool idea for a thread actually..
well it actually was a serious question but I'm currently going with the low brow flow
Please feel free to elevate the discussion....
Chai wrote:We lived in a shoebox in the middle of the road. But, we were happy.
Expecially on Tuesday, when Ma would make dirt soup.
You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.
serves you right to suffer you white trash limey bastard....pull yourself up and stop being a drain on the queen and society in general.... and I say that with all tough love....
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:well it actually was a serious question but I'm currently going with the low brow flow
Please feel free to elevate the discussion....
I tried, my man, I tried. Kinda enjoying the levity though.
Bear
My family had more than some and less than others. When everyone you live among is also poor, you don't complain about it because everyone is in the same boat. Being poor was not the biggest problem during my young years.
BBB
roger wrote:jake123 wrote:Chai wrote:We lived in a shoebox in the middle of the road. But, we were happy.
Expecially on Tuesday, when Ma would make dirt soup.
You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.
Bread? You had Bread?
His father had a belt?
ooff. they were lucky.
Our father used wrap a bit of twine around our neck and choke us until we passed out. Then when we woke up, the twine was all we had to eat all day.
But we were happy.
When I was young the US was in the midst of the great depression. We didn't have much but never realized it since everyone we knew was in the same boat.
and grateful for what you had I bet.
they were happy bear.
ok - truth...my parents both grew up in the depression, my father talked about how he had to sleep in an attic in the summer, where it would still be 100 degrees at 3am.....
So...because of that, we were only allow to run the A/C units for an hour before going to bed, then had to shut them off.
He slept with his A/C on all night, with 2 of the windows in his bedroom cracked open 6 inches, so the "air could circulate"
I remember hearing something from the bible in church about "who would give their child a stone instead of bread when they were hungry" I never understood what they were getting at, because I thought "my father would"
With all the money he must have saved on airconditioning and having us eat off of cracked plates, except for his...he was able to buy himself a new Lincoln every couple of years.
So...I guess there's growing up dirt poor, and growing up feeling like there were "have's" and "have nots" in the same house.
For me, sometimes I'll see someone using or doing something which I consider extravegent, although it's something they can afford...at times my first reaction will be "They shouldn't be enjoying that so much!!" Then, thankfully, I'll think..."God that's bull. I hope they have a ball and enjoy themselves"
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace