IOU Childhood: The Day I Cash Out
In my family, I'm the only son in my household who is raised on an installment plan.
Because in this family, my parents refuse to raise a useless child.
When my sister wants concert tickets, he just has to help Mom sweep the floor once, and he gets them.
When my brother wants to install a gaming setup in her room, she just has to give Dad a quick shoulder massage.
But me? Every time I need money, I have to sign an IOU.
Over 18 years, I've accumulated a drawerful of IOUs, piled together like a thick ledger.
And because asking for money feels like the ultimate humiliation, I gradually learn to live frugally.
This summer, I work three jobs and scrape together enough to cover my college t