I saw part of an interview the other day with some financial guru, and he said that people who are in debt and have poor credit scores are simply lacking in integrity.

That’s a pretty broad statement. Not to mention fairly inaccurate. I know people from any different walks of life, and I can tell you, quite bluntly, that this guy is off his rocker.

I know professionals, doctors and lawyers, who charge people over and above the cost (all costs) of providing service – just because they can; I know others who “give their word”, only to go back on it when it seems most opportune – for them, of course.

I know regular people too, who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, pay the utilities, and have food on the table – if they say they’re going to come help you with some project or other, by God, they show up. If they say, “Trust me”, you can believe that statement and count on it.

One could assume that these doctors and lawyers are merely making errors, or don’t realize the impact their decisions have on others; this would make them thoughtless, not necessarily uncaring. Of course, they could certainly change that – no one can be thoughtless without, on some level, realizing it. And yes, there are some professionals who truly do care, who do empathize, lest you think I’m leaving them out.

And, too, I know people who can’t be counted on for anything; people who lie, who try to “get away” with things that aren’t strictly illegal – but immoral, and wrong.

I would imagine that highly paid, well-regarded individuals would have decent credit scores and do pay their bills. But I also find it difficult to believe that anyone with a salary of $100,000 or more would find that hard to accomplish. They truly have no idea, or have forgotten, what most people struggle with on a daily basis.

The average person, trying to make ends meet, doesn’t inhabit a lavish life-style and overspend; they merely spend to make those ends meet.

Suppose a person has a medical condition – they obtain treatment, they heal, then the bills arrive. The hospital frequently will not accept “I can’t” for answer – they want their money. Now. After receiving bills he cannot pay, phone calls he cannot answer, most people will start avoiding. Does this make the bills go away? Of course not. But it lowers the stress, to a point. It’s always there.

The average person will tell a bill collector that he can’t pay; the collector harasses and threatens; the collector takes him to court. Then what? The average person now has interest charges, court costs, possibly attorney fees. Does any of this get the collector’s money any quicker? NO!

It does affect the health and well-being of the average person; it does contribute to the coffers of the court; it does inspire an attorney to rack up more billable hours. Yet, this financial guru says the average person in this scenario lacks integrity.

Who lacks integrity? The bill collectors who call every day, demanding money; the ones who, especially, laugh at a small amount that the average person can perhaps pay and demand a higher payment, over the phone, right away.

Who else lacks integrity? The doctors, lawyers, professionals who make in excess of $100,000 a year – the ones who overcharge, who delay court appearances, who claim to be so “busy”. These are the people who lack integrity.

You know how people sometimes think about who they’ll see in heaven, or what they’d like to ask or learn about? I want to have a sit-down discussion with Eve.

Yep, of all the choices, all the great, learned minds, all the famous and infamous folks who may or may not be there when I arrive – I choose Eve.

The first woman in the world, the one who was so anxious to be wise and to acquire knowledge. I feel quite sure that she and I have a lot in common, probably she’s slightly impatient and, I imagine, quite fond of contemplation. After all, since she was alone with Adam and he quite probably either ignored her or forgot anything she said, she likely had lots of time to think about things.

Too bad she couldn’t have done a little more thinking when it came to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Too bad she couldn’t have been a bit more patient in wanting to learn things. Of course, back then, they lived a couple hundred years or so, so the patience issue is relative.

But back to that Tree. See, Eve was tempted by Satan, disguised as a serpent. She’d had a lot of time on her hands lately, time to think about life, the universe, and everything (just a brief eluding to Douglas Adams here); and she probably had a lot of questions. Naturally she gave in to temptation. And we all know her punishment: banishment from the Garden of Eden, pain and suffering in childbirth and motherhood, and – more than likely – all the messy stuff that accompanies womanhood.

And she passed that all along to all women.

Now seriously – wasn’t banishment from Eden enough punishment? I understand it was a wonderful place, a place anyone would have their real estate agent check out. Beautiful trees and flowers, cute, furry animals, probably waterfalls and pools and – I’m sure – perfect 75-degree, sunny weather. Did God really have to throw in all that woman/childbirth/suffering stuff as well?

Yes, I trust God and I know He has a plan. But still. For about 40 years, or half a lifetime, a woman must suffer headaches, cramps, grouchiness, clumsiness, sleeplessness, messiness, etc., ad finitum. Is this really fair? And of course, you can throw in embarrassment and tension, because when all that starts it’s so highly unpredictable – and when it’s coming to an end as well. Misery, thou are woman, indeed!

So, first I want to ask Eve what the heck she was thinking, even though I’m pretty sure I know; then I want to ask God a few questions, you know, about fairness and all. Of course, I have a lot more questions for God Himself. Then again, if, when we get to heaven, we are bestowed with all knowledge, from all time, it won’t be necessary to ask – I’ll already know. Unlike Eve, apparently, I’m not in that big a hurry, I can wait a bit longer.

You know, I really think that Eve was trying to get Adam to stand up and take charge; instead, he went along with her decision and blamed her when things went south. Typical. So Adam really was the progenitor of all males. It doesn’t take science to figure this out this one. I guess men’s punishment is living with us during PMS. Tee hee!