written by Solestruck
original source of the story was Unknown source
12/06/04 – True Story
Shortly after law school I took on a job with my state attorney general’s office. I was working in the corporations division, looking to maybe make some connections and land myself something on the corporate side down the road. As such I was willing to take the job even though it only paid $30,000 a year (that’s about $600 a week) as an entry level government employee.
I found a sweet little studio, emphasis on the word little, in the heart of the hippest neighborhood in the city. Cost was $1200 bucks a month so, after paying my rent and my school loans, I was living on take home of about $200 a week. That had to cover clothes, food, utilities, everything. Needless to say, there was not much budget for entertainment. I did work part time at a gym, mainly so I could work out for free, but that barely paid for supplements.
My apartment was on the top floor of a four story building overlooking the trendy street. It was one of those set ups with posh retail space below, two buzzer locked doors to access the residential area, with one apartment on the first retail level, and two apartments with doors facing each other at each landing on the other three levels. The front side apartments were tiny studios. The rear side apartments were huge 2 bedroom apartments. Both types though had a small kitchenette type entry way, such that if you walk in, you are in the so-called kitchen and can almost touch both walls at the same time. There was a shallow counter, fridge, sink and shallow cooktop.
I noticed upon moving in that my next door neighbor had to be a woman since there were always all sorts of expensive shoes left on our tiny shared landing. A lot of pumps which she apparently wore to work. Names like Manolo Blahnik, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, etc. Each one of these was like a week’s pay for me as I later found out.