“This is the best country in the world! Don’t you think so, Chester?”
“How would I know?”
“Well, you live here, don’t you??”
“Yeah, but I’ve never lived anywhere else. I don’t have the knowledge, or perspective, to answer that.”
“But your life’s pretty good here, ain’t it?”
“Compared to what? Someone else’s life in a country that I’ve never been to?”
“Yeah. Imagine being from China! How would you like that?”
“If I was born and raised there, I have no reason to think that I’d hate it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It’s a silly question. It’s like asking a fish if they prefer water or land? All they know is water.”
“Huh?”
“Listen Chad, you got to read more. Also, think about traveling.”
“I’m too God Damn poor to travel and read.”
“Poor people can read. I’m poor.”
“But do you travel?”
“I am also too poor to travel. I will give you that one.”
“Gotcha!”
“If this country is so great, why are we both so poor?”
“Shit man, life is expensive.”
“Chad . . . it’s about to get way worse. This country is about to fall. Our dollar is about to tank. The domino's, man, they are getting knocked down. The walls of Jericho . . .”
“What in the hell are you going on about?”
“You’ll see, Chad. Just start saving money, alright?”
-C.H.