What Lies Ahead

To this day, I don’t “look poor.” I have a nice apartment, the right kind of job, clothes that don’t look like I bought them all on clearance years ago. But don’t let my appearance fool you — I’m that Millennial who is ruining the economy with my choices. I don’t own a vehicle, and I likely won’t be anywhere near able to afford homeownership until I’m well into my 30s (no matter how many people tell me it’s “actually not that hard” to get together a downpayment) in no small part because I started my path to adulthood, as I was told to do, at a five-figure deficeit. And frequently, at the end of a pay period, after paying rent and another $600 in student loans for the privilege of becoming the first in my family to graduate from college, I’m right back to being one unforeseen expense away from an overdraw. I don’t look poor — most of us don’t — but that doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Cakes have gotten a bad rap. People equate virtue with turning down dessert. There is always one person at the table who holds up her hand when I serve the cake. No, really, I couldn’t she says, and then gives her flat stomach a conspiratorial little pat. Everyone who is pressing a fork into that first tender layer looks at the person who declined the plate, and they all think, That person is better than I am. That person has discipline. But that isn’t a person with discipline; that is a person who has completely lost touch with joy. A slice of cake never made anybody fat. You don’t eat the whole cake. You don’t eat a cake every day of your life. You take the cake when it is offered because the cake is delicious. You have a slice of cake and what it reminds you of is someplace that’s safe, uncomplicated, without stress. A cake is a party, a birthday, a wedding. A cake is what’s served on the happiest days of your life. This is a story of how my life was saved by cake, so, of course, if sides are to be taken, I will always take the side of cake.

That’s a very good question and thank you for asking so politely.