My American Life: Living Without

So, this week on This American Life the topic is Living Without. Granted I have never stood on a corner of a busy intersection holding a cardboard sign with paint that says, "God Bless you. Can You spare a dollar? Will work for food." I have never had to go hungry...I mean actually starving, hungry. I have never been without a home, food, or clothing, but I can write about some things that are on bottom end of the "Going without scale."

Growing up I don't ever remember going without, so hats off to you Mom. But, when I entered college that was another story. I remember when I moved to Logan I struggled with money a lot. When I finally came to grips that it wasn't working out and that I needed to be in Pocatello attending ISU I didn't even have enough gas money to make it there. So, I had to go to my brother's house in all my humility and ask for money. Those of you who know me well have told me that I am the most stubborn person they have ever known, so for me to go to someone and ask for money must have been bad. I may as well have worn that "will work for food" sign around my neck as I rang my brother's doorbell. Long story short there were lots of tears on my part and no begging because my brother is very loving and generous like that.

I remember in college that I bought generic everything. It was a luxury to go to someone's house and actually smell their detergent or fabric softener or to wipe my bum with something that didn't feel like sandpaper and dissolved right under my fingertips. Great Value was my best friend. I vowed that when I graduated college I would by Downey fabric softener and Charmin toilet paper.


I remember Dallin and I had dial up internet until we graduated. And we got made fun of for that...you know who you are. His name starts with a "D" and ends with "ennis." That's right people, we have only had high speed internet for 4 years. I remember once we had no money for awhile so we ate rice and beans and beans and rice for a long long time. If I had to spend more that $20 on a pair of jeans I would not buy them...so I'm sure you could guess how many pairs of jeans I had and what kind of shape they were in, because $20 jeans are very hard to find.

What goes along with going without is the kind of menial jobs you work so that you can buy the horrible cheaper products. Dallin worked some bad ones: Burnett telephone (we both worked that one and we would call it Buttnett) and Meadowgold Dairy. I worked at Assisted Living Facilities which looking back I did enjoy it just not the times I was getting pooped on, spit on, or bit. And yes, we both made the trek to the plasma center a few times.

Through the hardest times though we had each other and we had our families. Thanks to both our families who helped us tremendously. We would not have made it through college without you.