Everyone has something they spend their money on, and one thing that never ceases to amaze me is our American super-human ability to spend money on shit we don’t need.
Now before you cry “pot calling the kettle black” I will be the first to admit that I am guilty as charged. I have a penchant for cigars and scotch. My $120 Humidor full of $200 worth of cigars and the $80 bottle of scotch adorning my liquor cabinet are testaments to that. Everyone has something they spend money on, and like it or not it’s part of our American way of life. My brothers ride dirt bikes; my dad has a motor home; my father-in-law is into ham radios; my thing is cigars and scotch. “One man’s trash is another’s treasure,” as the old saying goes.
My wife’s thing? Coach purses.
We took a trip to our local Coach Outlet store recently. As we walked in, there was a greeter conveniently giving out “20% off” coupons.
Anytime that happens, I ain’t getting out of there without her buying something. My wife’s a sucker for a sale.
Anyway, I’m looking around the store. The “trash vs. treasure” theme was apparent early on, when I spotted a $120 men’s wallet.
HELL NO!
I’d never spend $120 on a wallet. That’s fucking ridiculous. It had better be made of gold, or spontaneously spit out money on its own, or give me the occasional hand job while it’s in my pocket, or fucking something for $120. But people buy them all the time. There was a guy who just happened to purchase one while we were there.
My wallet? $12. Had it for 3 years and counting. Pisses me off that I actually have to go through the pain of buying one every so often.
But, remember we all have something we spend our money on. If you don’t, well then consider yourself lucky.
But the Coach saga gets worse.
I spotted a bin full of pink, heart-shaped plastic bags a bit larger than the palm of your hand. They were heavy and full of sand.
I held it up to my wife and asked her “What the fuck is this?”
My wife shook her head. She had no idea.
One of the Coach attendants overheard me and politely responded with, “It’s a paperweight.”
“What?” I asked.
“It’s a paperweight.”
I looked down at the price of this paperweight.
$19.
It’s a plastic bag full of sand.
And then the attendant says “We have a sale on that and the matching heart-shaped Coach mouse pad.”
I look down at the price of this mouse pad.
$29.
I smiled and responded with my usual smart-ass sarcasm, “Well, you know, I can get paperweights for free. I got connections. A good rock will do. Those are free.”
She smiled and said “Well, it’s for the girl who already has everything.”
Indeed.
I guess what I’m saying is that everyone in America has something, a “vice” as it were on which they spend their disposable income. “Disposable” is a very appropriate word, because that is exactly what we’re doing.
So the next time you want to criticize someone for throwing their money away on something that makes them happy, take a look at your own expenditures and be sure you’re not the pot calling the kettle black.
Let the (Sort of Related) Rant Begin:
And, on a more serious note, you should feel fortunate you live in a place that gives you the opportunity to spend your money on shit you don’t need. There are a lot of people in this world who don’t have that luxury. I mean, we live in a country where we have TV shows about other people buying a house, called House Hunters and call it entertainment. That show makes me sick.
I’ve seen third world conditions first hand, and to hear those people complain about their kitchen “not being as quaint as we’d like it” makes me want to stop them from procreating.
That’s why the rest of the world hates us. Oh. That, and because we’re idiots.
See you next time.
