Page 311 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

had answered an ad for an experienced copier technician.

Things went fine for a while; then Paul lost his job. My

part-time job checking groceries barely brought in
enough money for food and gas, and we got behind on our

bills. Soon, creditors began harassing us with angry

phone calls. Two months later, we made a decision that

has haunted me ever since. We decided to run from our

debt.

It was a Friday night, and I had just gotten paid. My

check came to $145.82, not enough to make a dent in the

electricity bill and one month’s back rent. We sat at

the small kitchen table of our furnished apartment with
our pitiful store of cash and the remains of a frozen

pizza between us. Paul looked at me with dull,

discouraged eyes and said, “Why don’t we just leave? We

can start fresh.” I nodded numbly, too tired to think or

reason out the consequences. I had been raised in a
family that paid its debts and met its problems head-on,

so there should have been a voice in me somewhere

telling me to find another way. But there was no voice,

just empty silence. As Paul left to gas up the car, I

cleared the dishes from the table and began to pack.

I had our clothes packed and our dishes boxed when I

heard the Datsun pull around to the back. I wondered why

Paul had gone to the back instead of parking in our

space out front, so I went to the kitchen door that