creative writing- 501 words

Perri McCammon
Creative writing

"The root of all evil is essential to my survival". Quote. The root of all evil? Money, of course. Everyone knows that. But why? Why is money evil?
Money, and its many forms. That green, papery object that plagues or abandons wallets by the millisecond, a unit of fire that burns holes in pockets. Tiny books bursting with figures, numbers, and frustration. Our natural resources molded into minute magnetic strips that electronically deplete our bank accounts, once dollar at a time. Metal. Locks. Combinations. Pin numbers. Alarms. Pennies in parking lots; are they lucky? Checkbooks, credit cards, cash and change, so many forms this devil takes. The cowry shells of ancient Africa, barley of Mesopotamia and even bottle caps in that episode of Duck Tales: all of these a form of exchange between entities.
But what is it about money that gives it such a bad reputation? Perhaps it’s because of its history of abuse. Those who have money have power, and those who have power enjoy using it to their own advantage.
Observe the common workings of a dictatorship. While millions of people suffer from poverty, starvation, and oppression, a country’s leaders live in luxury. They adorn themselves with jewels, expensive suits, and rolex watches. They live in palaces constructed of the finest materials and are surrounded by gold, silver, and ivory. What good do these riches do? These are merely objects; unnecessary possessions. Tyrants around the world obtain whatever their heart desires, and yet we have families that are struggling to feed their own children, homes without running water and electricity, people without medical care or even decent working conditions.
Consequently, money destroys people. It can ruin a friendship. It can smother a marriage, or even corrupt a child. And yet, without any kind of unit of exchange, what would drive and motivate us? We are a species which relies on something that is beyond our control, for money is ever changing, always altering the world in which we live in. Over the course of our lives, the decisions we make are based on currency. Without it, trade, consumption, the global market no longer exists to provide the world with everything it could possibly ask for. Without it, how would we survive?
Exchange. I’ll give you this cow for three chickens. I demand payment for access to my water. You will work for me or you will be killed.
No matter how destructive money is, it is necessary. I work for a company, which makes money from my labor, and in turn gives me a portion in return. I take this money and use it to pay for housing, transportation, food, and other necessities that allow me to live and work for this company. So, in a sense, the company that employs me is paying to me have a high enough standard of living to continue providing them with my personal skills and training. It’s a continuous process that will forever hover over mankind. Without money, we would die.

Poem of my day

I got to drive a truck today,
Big, Noisy, Rough,
Weaving in and out of
the people walking by.
Swarms of them, its a
Miracle!
I didn't hit anyone
Swerving, weaving
Through cars, students,
Flying around corners,
Don't you walk in front of me.
Large, clumsy vehicle,
this truck,
Finally wobbling into my
Parking spot.
Walking away...
God, I hope that scratch
was there before...