Housing Woes Force An Impulse Buy

At 7 o’clock tonight, the road was busy. Much busier than I remembered when I went by this weekend. The house was small and cramped, although it was nicely painted. Or what we could see with the flashlight seemed nice. There was no power, so some of the shades were hard to make out. It smelled of cigarette smoke, but my real estate agent was mumbling something about an ozone machine that would get the stench out. Every time a car drove passed, the rumble echoed through the empty rooms, and there were a lot of cars. My girlfriend was trying to look enthused, but it was depressing, and cold, and far away from where we wanted to live.

“I don’t think this one’s going to work, Nancy,” I told my real estate agent, who I had dragged out at 7 o’clock to see a place that I now realized had no potential.

After a long drive in which my girlfriend tried to put a positive spin on things, I dropped her off and went to a coffee shop to think. I started to feel really bad for myself. This sucked. I couldn’t afford anything.

So that’s how I found myself wandering Target at 9 o’clock. Not just wandering. For the first time in my life, I really wanted to buy something to make myself feel better. I stood there, knowing that I had enough cash on hand (or in my reserve account) to pay for anything in the store. I could afford anything. Bose stereo system? No problem. For six months, I wanted the one that hooked to my iPod. The biggest TV they had? I don’t watch TV, but what the hell. I perused the aisles and sat in the leather chair. I could do better, but this one would work. $400? A steal.

Then I made a purchase. Absolute top of the line. Total impulse buy, and I feel great about it. Not a speck of buyer’s remorse. Oak handles, stainless steel fittings, and almost three yards of braided nylon.

After an invigorating 100 lap test drive of this $5.37 work of art, breathing hard from excitement and flushed with adrenaline, I frivolously threw another $100 at a credit card bill. Oh, I might have to cut back for a week, I may have to pack a few lunches to work, but you know what?

I’m worth it.