The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Sunday, September 4, 2011

What $60 Will NOT Get You

photo by extrawack
       

        My son moved out on his own this summer. He's living 6 hours away, having found a very cool apartment in a very funky building, which is in the middle of a neighborhood full of character and one of the main "characters" is now my boy. 

        He was fortunate enough to graduate from college and actually snag a job in his field (music therapy). In fact, he admitted he almost feels guilty taking a paycheck,  his work is so enjoyable. Not only does he have fun every day, he gets to wear gym shorts to work sometimes. From my son's perspective, clothing--or a lack of it--is crucial to happiness. He was the kid who refused to apply to be a dorm's RA--Resident Advisor--for two years because if he did that job, he'd have to wear a shirt. Going shirtless and shoeless, no matter what the season, is his normal state.

       Okay, he's a musician, so I get his quirkiness. He's also his father's son, and all my son's weird traits came from the paternal pool of DNA.  Except for the good quirks. Those ones came from me.

      Once the boy moved out, my husband and I had a sudden swell of wealth. We had so much extra money at the end of each month, we recently bought a couple of new vehicles. My husband got a large Lexus truck with a Jack in the  Box taco bar in the truckbed. I got a Jag with a neverending chocolate fountain flowing in the back. Where did we get all of this extra moolah?  Did I start pole-dancing, and get a fortune thrown at me every night as the audience begs me to "Stop!  For the love of man, please stop!" ? Did I sell my fat rolls to some oil speculators? 

Nope. All that happened was the boy moving out. And the fortune we're saving is because our grocery bill is 3% of what it used to be.

When he was in high school, the boy and his posse would swoop down on CiCi's Pizza.  For a incredibly small amount (under $5?) he could eat all the pizza he wanted. The group of hairy teenagers would have a leisurely lunch or dinner, each one filling up their hollow legs. When he went away to college, he enjoyed the heaped-high trays of dorm food, and will only go to Pasta House on Monday nights, because those are all-you-can-eat evenings.

Once he moved out from under the sheltering umbrella of mom and dad, he went on his first official now-I'm-on-my-own shopping trip. To be completely honest, he had lived in dorm apartments for two years, and had done grocery shopping then, but it was mainly for snacks and "extras" since he relied mainly on the cafeteria food.  So he was a bit naive...

When I went for a visit to see his new place, he admitted, "I went grocery shopping, and thought $60 would get me food for a month."

I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

After my tears stopped and our talk continued, he said, "I bet you and dad are saving lots of money since I moved out."

And indeed we are...

It has been a while since I welcomed new followers. I apologize. I'm so glad that occasionally someone will log on as a follower, even if they're pity followers.

Welcome to Marinela Reka, Vanilla Mama, Windowlad, indiwriter, haiku love songs, and Beth M. Wood.   (As an aside, Beth is funny, but you would not like her if you met her in person. She is not spring-chicken young, but she's got a tall, thin frame...so pretty, you can't help but dislike her. But read her posts nonetheless. She can't help the way she looks.)


13 comments:

  1. Sioux, love the 2 new vehicles you now own! :)
    Seriously though, I can totally relate!! These "grown-up" things we think our newly-on-their-own kids should already know, is a very long list! We just assume because of their age and their intelligence, they should just KNOW these things! But, ahhhh, the naivete of being out on your own for the first time. Fabulous post!

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  2. P.S. I'm absolutely positive that every one of your followers are NOT pity followers!!

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  3. I love how you call him "The Boy" It's awesome.

    Awesome about the new followers too! I haven't gotten one since I quit teaching. Guess I better start blogging about some more substantial stuff.

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  4. Whoa, I was going to ask you for a ride until I realized you were taking me for a ride! Kids can eat you out of house and home.
    You are funny.

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  5. Kids these days! His scenario IS possible. For a paltry $56, he could eat an adult school lunch for 20 days at my school. Of course, he would have to forget about breakfast and supper, and fast from 11:20 a.m. on Fridays until 10:53 a.m. on Mondays. But technically, his budget is plausible.

    You really must watch an episode of The Middle, with Patricia Heaton. Her TV son, Axl, walks around without a shirt. Or pants. He's a boxer kind of guy. It's on ABC, Wednesday nights at 7:00.

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  6. Sixty dollars for a month of groceries? Kids say the darnedest things, even in young adulthood. That's great that "the boy" got a job in his field! And the dress code sounds like a match, too.

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  7. My son I just building steam in the eating arena. I have at least 8 years left before he leaves. You may need to lend me some of that money to help feed him if his hunger keeps increasing at its current rate!

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  8. My 14 year old has two hollow legs as well. With an 11 year-old brother following close behind, I'm sure to be in tears very soon, and for quite a few years before I, too, can buy my own chocolate-spouting jaguar.
    And as an aside, I thank you for the compliment (?). Ha - funny stuff.

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  9. LOL...you are so delightful. I too have pity followers, and I'm darned grateful to them, too. Also loved "all my son's weird traits came from the paternal pool of DNA. Except for the good quirks. Those ones came from me." Yup, mine too.

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  10. 60 dolla? I can't even keep my dog in biscuits for 60 dolla!

    Btw, that Jodi Picoult novel saved my sanity through the just-ended 50 hour power outage. Thank you!

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  11. How funny and true. Unless he bought nothing but Ramen Noodles, the $60 wouldn't go too far.
    Donna

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  12. The first time my in-laws visited after my husband and I got married I made a special trip to the market and recall being horrified that my groceries were $60.00. That was back in 1980, and as I recall it didn't amount to too much even back then. I'm guessing your son stocked up on Ramen noodles, instant mac & cheese and milk. And probably not too much more. Poor kid is probably in shock. I know my older two kids are a lot more cautious about what goes in the grocery cart now that they're responsible for the bill. LOL

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  13. This was so funny! When my 2 daughters moved out, we felt rich too. Now we can go on cruises and travel and do what we want and still have money left over! Kids are just a money-suck! (but don't you just love 'em!)

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