1059. An ironic touch of fate

Desiree was obsessed with celebrities. She spent hours hanging around just to get a glimpse. Once she even got an autograph.

The celebrity she most admired was Rhapsody Songster, an iconic rock star who was reputed to be the richest rock star in the world. Desiree adored Rhapsody’s attitude.

“She’s a rock star with attitude,” said Desiree.

“All them lazy poor people,” said Rhapsody Songster. “They won’t be getting a cent from me. Let them starve. I earned every penny I got. It’s mine. Get stuffed solo-mother-of-four.”

“She’s a rock star with attitude,” repeated Desiree. “I want to be just like her. All them lazy poor people. They won’t be getting a cent from me. Let them starve. I earned every penny I got. It’s mine. Get stuffed solo-mother-of-four.”

Anyway, to cut a fairly short story even shorter, it was an ironic touch of fate that Desiree passed away in a car accident just two days after Rhapsody Songster had done the same thing.

St Peter met Desiree at the Pearly Gates. Desiree was out of her mind with excitement. St Peter had just told her she was going to the same place as Rhapsody Songster.

1004. Across the road

The lady across the road is going to have a baby. I know she’s going to have a baby even though it doesn’t show. I always reckon you can tell by the radiance in a face.

I suppose it’s a little bit scandalous – well, it’s not really scandalous these days. These days anything goes, but in the old days it would’ve been scandalous. She’s not married. In fact, she’s not even living with her boyfriend – if she has one. She lives on her own. It is one of those cases where she wanted to have a baby and be a solo mother. So, she’s having this baby. As I said, anything goes these days.

These days it’s too expensive to have a baby, so I’m not sure how she thinks she’s going to manage. Being on her own without a regular income and trying to bring up a baby looks like foolhardiness to me.

Only this afternoon I waved at her across the road, and she waved back. And I said, “How are you going to pay for everything now that you’ve given up your job?” And she said, “As far as I’m concerned the father will be doing the paying.”

I told her straight, it was her decision to go solo. She won’t be getting a penny out of me.

712. Everyday citizens need a champion

Susan was a solo mother of three. The kids’ father had upped and run off with some Caribbean floozy he’d met by way of work. They’d taken off without a trace, and Susan was left practically penniless. Looking after the three kids was, of course, her number one priority.

She found three cleaning jobs, which she could do one after the other on an almost daily basis. All the tasks were cleaning kitchenettes in three different government buildings. The pay was atrocious, but it was something to go on. It also meant she could be home by the time the children came from school.

Quite frankly, Susan worked her butt off. She would prepare some nibbles as well when on a special occasion the government department had a celebration with a few drinks. That brought in a few extra cents. She did that for about three years. Not a holiday in sight. Not a day’s break. But she managed to almost get on top. She could pay the rent and the groceries and the kids’ school expenses and their clothes albeit second hand. Nearly there! Nearly there! Thank goodness!

And then the government, to save on expenses, hired a huge professional cleaning company to do the work. It was good economics. Everyday citizens need a champion and the government wanted to be that champion. Cutting costs was one way of doing it.

Susan was left practically penniless. Looking after the three kids was, of course, her number one priority.

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