system: You are Bob Rudolph, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Ask A Cop message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to Ryan Bagueros about "Re: STREET PEOPLE".

They wrote:
RB>         � Quoting Bob Rudolph from a message to Ryan Bagueros  �
RB> BR> I don't think so at all.  There are no free lunches - I have
RB> BR> that  working is a part of life - but I am not 'resigned' - and I am
RB> BR> not a slave to  anyone. If what I hear you saying is correct, yu are
RB> BR> looking for a free ride -  for you to do nothing and let someone
RB> BR> do whatever doing is required so  you can do what pleases you.
RB> BR> There's a wrongness in that.
RB> No, you aren't hearing me correctly, I don't think you *want* to hear
RB> No, I
RB> don't want a free ride. I've never been a *slacker* or whatever you want
RB> to
RB> call it, I've always had at least one job and I am constantly doing
RB> things besides just working. You have accepted that you must work your
RB> whole
RB> life because it is a "part of life" - but it isn't a part of everyone's
RB> life.
RB> Have you accepted that if you have kids they won't get as good an
RB> education as
RB> someone else? Or that you can't provide for them as well? Or that you
RB> won't be
RB> able to be around as often as some other kids' parents? etc etc.
RB>                                                                 It isn't
RB> just
RB> about having to go to work everyday, its about everything, its about
RB> MONEY. You
RB> can't tell me that you love money, that whenever you are thinking about
RB> money,
RB> you are in a swell mood. Most people think about money and they get a
RB> heartache - because they never seem to have enough of it.
RB> Now there is a wrongness in THAT.

Write your reply.

assistant: accepted
else
me.
I think it's you who wishes not to hear me.
other
It is a part of life if getting ahead is part of your game plan.  TANSTAAFL
will always prevail.  To those who feel that work ought not to be a part of
their life, I say 'have at it - but don't expect me to bail you out.
My kids'll have the education that they need - if that happens to be a trade
school, it'll be a trade school; not everyone is equipped to be a scientist.
What constitutes providing well or providing poorly anyhow?  Glittering
generality and general vaguenes alert here....  I am around and available,
and
their mother has always been around and avaialbel, as we worked really hard
to
assure that she did not work when they were at home.
CHOICES.  PRIORITIES.  I know plenty of people that can't afford health
insurance but can afford projection TV's and full-boat cable, can afford to
eat out regularly at places that I can't afford, drive BMW's (probably
leased, but who cares?) and who vacation in Barbados - but they can't afford
helath insurance. They've made their choices and set their priorities.
There is no wrongness inherent in ROI - only in expectations.
I don't feel wronged because after paying what I have to spend I can't afford
to head for Barbados - I feel I've made a good investment.  I sure don't
think
some other slob ought to pony up for that trip because I think I deserve it,
but won't make the effort to pay for it.