Jason's Story
Copyright© 2025 by writer 406
Chapter 22
The final bell had sounded. The detention room started to fill as kids wandered in, talking and laughing.
Jason sat on the edge of his desk. “Okay, guys, settle down, and I’ll tell you a story about three Jasons.”
He moved to the whiteboard and drew three stick figures, labeling them PAST Jason, PRESENT Jason, and FUTURE Jason.
The kids stilled. This was new.
“All of us have these three people living in time. And here’s the thing—these three don’t always get along. In fact, most often they’re working against each other, and our culture aids and abets the conflict.”
Jason patted his midsection ruefully. “Speaking as Present Jason, I have to tell you that Past Jason had very little self-control when it came to cheesecake. When he was offered a big slice, he never hesitated. The man was a hog. It’s almost like he didn’t give a damn about Present Jason. So Present Jason now has a choice: run an extra mile or have Future Jason look at himself in the mirror and chant ‘fat, fat the water rat’ to his reflection.”
The class was laughing. “You can replace ‘cheesecake’ with ‘new iPhone’ or ‘designer shoes’ or ‘vacation you can’t afford.’ We all have the same thing going on.”
He turned to Jeff.
“Let’s say Present Jeff wants to buy a motorcycle. It’s $8,000. That jerk Past Jeff didn’t save a dime. But great news! The dealer has financing available—only $200 per month for four years. How does Present Jeff think about this decision?”
Jeff grinned. “Present Jeff thinks $200 per month doesn’t sound too bad, and man, that bike is bussin.”
“Exactly. And what does Present Jeff tell himself about Future Jeff?”
“He thinks that Future Jeff will figure it out. That Future Jeff will probably be making more money anyway.”
“Perfect. Now, Nancy, you’re a math whiz; what does Future Jeff actually end up with?”
Her smile grew serious as she did the math. “$200 times 48 months ... that’s $9,600 for an $8,000 bike. Plus insurance, maintenance, registration. Future Jeff is going to be paying way more for the bike than Present Jeff planned on.”
Jason nodded. “And what if Future Jeff loses his job? Or wants to move to a different city? Or needs money for an emergency?”
“Future Jeff is screwed because he’s stuck with a bike payment.”
Jason drew arrows between the three stick figures, showing how decisions flowed from Past to Present to Future.
“Here’s what’s really messed up about human psychology: Present You, if left to its own devices, almost always sacrifices Future You. That’s called immediate gratification. Our culture and our economy are built on easy credit aiding and abetting immediate gratification.
Okay, another example, let’s take Lily here. Present Lily knows that Future Lily will have to deal with the credit card debt, but Present Lily really wants to go to Cancun. She closes her mind to her warning alarms and goes to Cancun.”
That’s called denial.
Maria raised her hand. “So how do you make better decisions if your present self doesn’t care about your future self?”
“That’s exactly the right question, Maria. You have to find ways to make Future You real and Present You accountable.” Jason raised his voice, “And guys, your fate depends on how well you learn to do it.”
Jason wrote MAKING FUTURE YOU REAL on the board.
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