Aria was fourteen, and her brother, Jason was ten. Their family was not poor, nor rich, they were right in the middle. Aria and Jason wanted a lot of things. But the family couldn’t afford many of them. “All my friends have Nintendo Switches!” Said Jason. “Why can’t I have one?”  And his parents would reply: “we are sorry, but we just don’t have enough money for it.”                         “Mom, dad,” Aria would ask. “Can I have that new brand of makeup? It lasts longer than the cheap set I have now.”                                                             “No honey.” They would reply. “It’s just too expen-

Ive.” And they would say to both children: “you are welcome to save your own money for what you want.”                                                                        “When has that ever worked?” Complained Jason.                                                                                 “Your sister bought her own iphone.” They would say.                                                                             “so?” Asked Aria. “I’m broke because of that! How do you expect me to pay for fifty dollar makeup?”“You chose an iPhone.” They told her. “That is what you wanted. You will have to start saving up

again.”                                                                        “UUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!” Both children would groan.                                                             “WHHHHHHYYY CAAAAN’T YOU JUST BUY IT FOR US? I HATTTTTE BEING POOR LIKE THIS! WHHHHEN I GROW UP, I’M GOONNNA BEEEEEEE RRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCHHHHHHHH!”         them, both parents would go quiet, and say softly “I’m so sorry.”

The next day, Aria and mom were driving home from the food store, when they saw a woman on the road. She was holding a baby, and there was a little girl next to her. “Are they home less?” Asked Aria.                                                                                     “They are.” Said mom, as she stoped the car by the people, and gave the woman some money.      When they were back in the car, Aria burst out “is that why we’re so poor? Because you keep giving all our money to dumb home less people!?”