Good talk, son. You have problems with school? Don't like your clothes cause the cool kids are wearing Sean Jean and nerds like you are wearing the palm tree polo from JCPenny's? I understand. I hated it when I wanted Dr Pepper in my lunch box and my parents gave me Capri Sun. Those jerks! Man, nobody gets it, do they?

You think you have it bad now? Just you wait, kid. You know nothing of hell yet.

Oh I know, school is so stupid! Why do we have to get up so early to go somewhere we don't want to be? Wouldn't it be cool to just wake up one day and realize all of this school stuff was skipped right over? That would be great, huh? Yeah, cause after school is through, we never have to wake up early to be somewhere we don't want to be.

I remember when I got out of school. Those were the days. Wake up whenever you want. Play some video games, watch some movies, hang out with friends... Yeah. Best 4 days of my life. Then I had to get a job because I realized that existence is not self perpetuating.

What? I have to be here when? Just tomorrow or is my schedule always like this? You can't be serious! Why do we even open at 5 am? Who gets coffee from Mc Donalds at 5 am? Man this sucks!

I can't do this forever! I have to get a better job. I need to go back to school? Why? I thought I was through with that. WHAT? I have to PAY for it too? You gotta be joking! This is so unfair, man. I have to ask my parents to help me get back into a place I tried so hard to get out of? I refuse! But I don't want to keep working jobs like this...

Good talk, son. Yeah, we figured you'd need some college. There's a bank account for you. You can't have it. We'll pay the tuition, some bills and such, but we can't cover it all. You're going to have to get a job while you're there. Nothing big. Part time will probably cover your needs. Oh I know, it's so awful. Just think, some day you'll look back on this and laugh. No, really, you will.

You think you have it bad now? Just wait, son. You still have a long way to go before hell even begins.

Oh man, how am I supposed to write a 4,000 word essay on Sue Allen Grigsby by tomorrow? Who is that anyhow and why would anyone care? I have to be at work in like 30 minutes! I'll never finish this. I need to get a car. This bus thing sucks! It never comes. Where is it? I'm totally late!

No man, Can't go to the party. I have to finish the final projects before next week. Finally getting out of this place. Get a real job, make some cash. Easy road from there. Those guys make like $50,000 a year. I could totally live on that, no problem. Thanks anyhow.

Congratulations, son. You got your first degree... in liberal arts. You should consider continuing and getting your bachelors. Not really, most major companies prefer more than just an associate's degree. Watch your tongue, boy! You're old enough to avoid language like that.

You think you have it bad now? I can't wait to see how you feel after you get a real job.

Score! I got the job! I start on Monday. Yup, $46,000 a year to start. Two weeks paid, plus a few holidays. I'm pretty excited about it. Well, they said my official title is sanitation specialist. I don't know for sure. They said they'd walk me through it next week and get me on the major projects soon after that. 7 am to 4 pm, they said. Sometimes later. Yeah, I can't wait.

What do you mean get IN the tank? There's sewage in there. Yeah, but the suit can't protect me from all of it. It's swirling! There are bubbles! I don't even have a helmet. What if it gets in my mouth? Don't we have cameras for things like this? Six years of college for this... Come on!

That's too bad, son. You thinking of changing jobs? She's pregnant? Well congratulations! That's supposed to be a good thing. Why do you feel that way? Well, why be with someone if they're so awful? You have to do something. No, quitting your job won't help. You're going to need money now. I'm afraid not. We're still paying off this house and the cars. Just hang in there. You'll be fine. Watch your tongue, boy. How many times do I have to say it?

You think you have it bad now? You still have 50 more years of waking up early to be somewhere you don't want to be. Then you get to come home to be somewhere else you don't want to be. Your hell is young yet. Just you wait.

I can't do it! I can't be the only one working! We can't cover rent, the car's broke, diapers, baby food! What do you do all day anyhow? I know it's expensive but you'll make more than day care costs. We just need more than my lousy sanitation specialist wages. I don't know, ANYWHERE! Just get a job!

Don't worry, son. I'm sure she'll come back. How's the boy though. He wants what for his birthday? What is that, a new game or something? Wow, it costs that much? Well, he'll understand some day. How about school, how's he doing there? Oh, really. Well, you were the same way. Tell him to wait until he's out of school to start the complaining. He knows nothing of hell yet.

That's too bad, son. He can't be held long. He's still a minor. Good thing he wasn't 18. That might be a felony. How's the sanitation specialist thing going? That's too bad. It's never too late to go back to school. I know, money. Just think, son. Only about 30 more years before you get to retire. I'm looking forward to sitting in a chair, too old to move, staring out the window while I wait to die. I'm not joking, son. That's really all I'm up to after a long, hellish life of getting up early to be somewhere I don't want to be so I can afford to pay for the roof over my head that protects me while I rest up so I can go back to some place I don't want to be. I kept thinking all these years that there was some end to it. I never did find any way to stop being places I didn't want to be. Now that I'm old, tired and too weak to do any of the things I wanted to do all my life, my life is at an end and all I can do is look back on my life, wondering what went wrong and if there is anything anyone can ever do about it.
Think of it this way, son. I'm 27 years older than you. The hell has not stopped. You still have a long way to go.

You think you have it bad now? Take a look at me. Shut up or do something about it. You might be the one to discover the way out. When you find it, let me know. I'll just be here, waiting to die.