Banks Dynasty – Day 23

Apparently, no one sleeps in Strangerville. There was noise all night coming from the bar. I end up waking up at around 4:30 am with no Mama Nadine to act as our singing alarm clock and no freshly prepared breakfast. I’m starving and it’s up to me to figure out what to eat.

I shower and dress up in clothes that I hope will be appropriate for my job interview later. I go down to the bar in search of something to eat, but I only have about §15 to my name, since the money that Mama Nadine gave me will be going towards the house. Luckily there’s no charge for chips. I eat two bowls…enough to fill me up for the moment.

It’s still a bit too early, but I’m anxious to sign the paperwork and get the keys to my new house. I sit down on a bench outside of City Hall…waiting for Hali’a to arrive. In the meantime, I call Michael up and chat with him for a while. At 8 on the dot…I head to the building for my meeting.

What feels like 80 signatures later, I arrive at my new house with keys in hand. I open the door and take a look at my new home. It’s a bit run down…and there are holes in the wall, but believe it or not…it actually looks better than the last apartment that I remember living in with my mother.

I take a quick tour of the place. The first bedroom contains a dresser and what looks like some sort of military cot. Everything is old and dated, but I guess it’ll do for now. I enter the bathroom next. It could use a good scrubbing and there’s a slight mildew smell. As long as the water runs, it’ll be useable. Last I enter the biggest bedroom. The furniture there is not much better than the other bedroom, except this room contains a large air mattress. I sit down on it to get a feel of it. It’s surprisingly firm. I decide that this will probably be the room that I’ll take.

Without five other people living here…the house is dreadfully quiet. I go into the living room and turn on the tv just for the background noise. Unfortunately, it’s already tuned to the cooking channel…which reminds me that all I’ve had to eat today is two bowls of chips. As I was signing the papers today, Hali’a told me the A.F.I.L. typically stocks the fridge with some basic groceries as sort of a welcome gift. I’m glad because I definitely don’t have enough money to buy any myself. I go to take a look at what’s in there. I grab a bowl of animal crackers.

I finish up the bowl of crackers, hating that I took Mama Nadine’s incredible cooking for granted all of these years. If I don’t get this job today, I’m sure that I’ll die from malnutrition. I can’t live off chips and crackers forever.

To make matters worse, I’m bored…absolutely bored out of my mind. There are still a few hours before it’s time for me to show up for the job interview…but what the heck am I supposed to do until then? I step out onto the front porch and notice that the flag on my mailbox is up. I hurry to the mailbox to grab my first ever piece of mail, but it turns out to be only bills. In fact, it’s §283 worth of bills. How the heck am I supposed to pay that? I ignore it by sticking it back in the mailbox, then I head back to city hall because at least I know there are free computers there.

Hali’a who happens to also work as the librarian is there. She waves as soon as she sees me.

Hali’a: How’s it going?

I know she’s just asking to be polite, but I need to get some things off my chest.

Alida: Not so good…

Hali’a: Sorry to hear that. Is there a problem with the house?

Alida: No. It’s just…what exactly is the purpose of being an adult? I mean…it’s all so overrated. What do I do now?

Hali’a: Hmmm, an existential question. Let’s see…your job now is to find a way to contribute to society.

Alida: How do I do that when I’m completely broke and can barely feed myself?

Hali’a: You’ll find a way. I’m sure of it. Just give yourself some time. Being an adult means that you’re free…free to navigate the world as you see fit. You can be who you want to be now!

One part of her statement stands out to me…

Alida: As I see fit?

Hali’a: Yeah…as long as your way of life doesn’t harm yourself or anyone else.

Alida: Okay…I guess that helps. Thanks!

Hali’a: No problem…anytime.

I walk away from Hali’a thinking about what she said. How can I  navigate life…and make a lot of money at the same time? I open up a browser and begin to research ways to make money fast.

I give up my search and head upstairs to the snack machines. Unfortunately, all I can do is stare at the offerings…because buying even one snack threatens to take every dime I have. I leave City Hall and begin walking down the street…asking myself one question –

What do adults do all day? What did Mama Nadine do, besides do laundry and cook?  I have a good idea of what my mom used to do all day. And as shameful as I once thought her chosen occupation was…suddenly, I can understand why she did it.

I keep walking until somehow I end up in the middle of the street. It’s the main strip in town, but it’s completely devoid of cars. This place might as well be a ghost town. I miss Mama Nadine. I miss the group home. I miss Del Sol Valley. My whole existence feels like a waste and I don’t know what to do about it. The reality of it slaps me in the face and makes me want to just ball up and cry.

Instead, I scream and curse…out loud to the empty street, the big sandlot in front of me and the tumbleweeds. Afterward, I don’t feel much better. It’s all just a waste of time.

Luckily, it’s time for me to head to my job interview…which turns out not to be a job interview at all. I arrive at the address that I was given, which happens to be a big warehouse that from the outside, appears to be abandoned. Inside the place is full of boxes and electronic equipment. I figure it must be some sort of storehouse. A guy approaches me and introduces himself as JJ. He tells me that I’ll be keeping watch, but doesn’t exactly tell me what I’m watching for. He just says that I’ll know when I see it. The whole thing seems a bit shady, but I need the money so I go where I’m told.

Everything seems to go well until I get hungry in the middle of my shift and decide to grab something to eat. It’s a big mistake, the sandwich that I mistakenly thought was just up for grabs to anyone belongs to JJ. He chews me out for it but seems impressed when I don’t even flinch. He asks me a bit about my background and I tell him that I grew up in a group home. He nods his head, but I can’t read him at all…then he walks away.

Eventually, I’m told that my shift is over and I head home.

(Generation 1a Chapter Summaries)