It is a thing. In our neighborhood, the closer you get to the lake, the bigger, more elaborate, gaudy and frankly mind-boggling are some of the residences. I've have been to a few, up close and personal. By no imaginative leap can I come up with a reasonable way that I could own and live in one of these places. Unimaginable wealth.
How can anyone afford some of these places? I have no idea.
Me and mine? Hell. We come from a long line of working stiffs. Folks just trying to make it, day to day. Nothing to be ashamed of. My reality is about scraping by, paycheck to paycheck. Counting pennies. Slogging thru, and somehow, maintaining. Happy to have a roof over our heads and a good meal in our future.
We live in an incredibly wealthy neighborhood, but we are on the margins, marginal characters. We don't really belong here, we are lucky to be hangers on. Yesterday, I met a person who really, really wants to impress the neighbors. He's built an enormous place, he's a loud-talker, a "big man." No doubt.
It was funny. I played the humble guy, just doing a job. The "big man" did his thing: flaunting, boasting, talking down the neighbors. So transparent. A bit silly. And pointless. It must be a full-time job just being the big man. Not for everyone. I am happy to walk the humble path.
