[Sundae]

Thank you for taking my request in the spirit intended.

I guess it is cheaper to live in the US than the UK. And no doubt this is because we have higher taxes. Mine pay for a safety net that I'm unlikely to fall far enough to use - falling as Shawnee says, in the middle. I just dangle from a single straining hand from time to time.

Par example:

When I last had a car, a kind soul smashed my rear passenger window outside Leyton Tube station. During the day and with nothing in the car worth stealing. In fact the car itself opened with any key (or even a screwdriver) thanks to previous vandalism, so it was sheer badness. I drove the car home and sat on my bed and cried. It was approx 10 days til payday and I had zero money. I had a Travelcard to get to work, food in the fridge and freezer, warmth, light, all the basics.

BUT I couldn't leave the car parked on the street in London missing a window - apart from the fact it was winter it would have shouted, "Abandoned Car!" to every single pikey within hailing distance. Two streets away there was an abandoned factory and burned out cars were a regular decorative feature.

I got the money by a happy coincidence, and got the window fixed that night. But my point is, I can deal without material things. I just can't deal with a minor problem becoming a major one all for the want of some ready cash.

I work hard, if not well. I am not afraid of hard work and have had 3 jobs before, in order to make ends meet, and worked a 60 hour week at 2 jobs in order to pay off debts. I would just like to feel more secure. I'm one unfortunate incident away from having to run home to my parents and throw myself on their mercy. At 34.

Still - am moving to London to share with a friend soon. He is very respectable and if not rich then at least organised. Let's hope I rub off on him rather than vice versa.