Page 30 - February 2020
P. 30
FIELD NOTES
I’m a Big Boy Now!
James Wantz, DTM
“You are an adult now,” my husband says. me to prison for marrying an ‘underage’ man.
And two, I was talking metaphorically. You aren’t
“Huh?” I respond in stupefaction. underage—the grey beard, balding head, and
prominent love-handles are a dead giveaway.”
“I was always told that buying a house is when
you become an adult.” “Oh, did you have to say ‘dead’?” (We are also
brutally honest with each other.)
“Hmm. There are two problems with what you
just said. One, I haven’t purchased a house yet.” “Doesn’t change the fact that I love you,
married you, and that you will soon be an adult
“But you are in the process - the house with your first home purchase.”
hunting process!”
It sounded like a conversation I’d had with
“Uh huh.” myself days before. Only that one focused on
the amount of debt I’d be taking on with a house
“And the other problem?” he asks. purchase. I’d go from having very low debt to
being like the majority of Americans. . . in debt
“If I become an adult when I purchase to my eyeballs! I am not happy about this—but
a home—then you married me when I was the alternative (staying with my current living
underage. And since the house is still in my future, situation) is no longer doable.
I am still underage.” I’ve wanted to buy a house for years but one
thing or another has prevented it: median home
“That is a good point. I have two responses,” cost, Portland housing market, my income, my
he says. time in prison, and my other debt (car, student
loan, credit cards). Last year was debt cleanup
“Figured you would.” (We love to analyze year: I paid off my car, paid off one student loan,
everything—that’s why we are such a good and put money in an IRA instead of buying more
match for each other.) toys. My credit score nudged up into the high
“One, I am already in prison. . . and have been 700s (at least I have one record that is good). I
since before we married. . . so they can’t send also got married and now get a higher tax refund.
30 ONE COMMUNITY
