Like a house on fire
You could buy a house if you stopped drinking lattes and eating avocados.
Margie sat down opposite Lynne in their usual spot at the village cafe. As was their ritual, they had breakfast together every Friday at nine o’ clock. In case of rare but uncomfortable silences, Margie always brought a paper. This morning’s headline was:
HOME OWNERSHIP DREAMS AXED FOR MILLIONS
“Honestly Lynne, if only they’d just work a bit harder.” Margie tapped the headline with a professionally manicured fingernail. “I don’t know what they’re all complaining about. Younger generations don’t know they’re born”
They thanked the young waitress who brought their usual order of two black coffees and poached eggs on wholemeal toast.
“It is hard for them, love.” Lynne said with a sympathetic head tilt. “Our Karen’s girl is still living at home and she’s got two kids”
“Two kids? I wouldn’t have had them ‘til I could buy, personally”
“She’s thirty eight though isn’t she? There’s a time limit on these things”
“It’s all those lattes and avocado on toast. All those telly subscriptions as well. We didn’t have any of that when I was buying a house. Our first house was twenty grand in 1981. We worked really hard. You know Geoff was working at the factory and I had that job in the clothes shop. We didn’t even have to go to uni! I just can’t believe it Lynne.” Margie shook her head and buttered some toast. “Robbie’s still at home with us and I’m always saying to him “you could afford it if you wanted it” he’s just terrible with money.” Two cubes of sugar plopped into her coffee. “We’re always telling him how we managed to do it and he could do it too. He’s useless”
“Is he?”
“He must be! I really don’t know what he wasted all that money on a degree for. He can’t seem to get a well paid job”
“Bless him. They want a degree for everything now and they’ve cut so much” Lynne said, nursing her coffee.
“There’s loads of jobs out there. When I was his age I applied for 5 jobs and got a response from all of them. I just can’t believe he’s even trying. I’m fed up”
The friends finished their breakfasts, said goodbye and parted ways.
The following Friday, Margie arrived at the village cafe. She laid her paper down on the table and checked her watch. It was ten past nine and there was no sign of Lynne. She picked up her paper. Today’s headline was:
MAN, 31, ARRESTED AFTER HOUSE GOES UP IN FLAMES IN SUSPECTED ARSON ATTACK.
END