Monster
Copyright© 2023 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 2
It will come as no surprise to most of the readers that this is not only fiction but bald faced lies. The author has been known to stretch the truth past breaking. He is fully aware that Monster Millions is his own creation and does not exist in reality. He is also cognizant of the fact that this an alternate reality. The names might be real ... the people are not. If your name is in here ... it’s not you ... any of you.
You would have too.
“How much?”
In 1955 a decent wage for a high school graduate was 178.20 ... after tax and union dues ... every two weeks. Before tax and union? about four hundred a month. $1,960.20 a year ... all the car manufacturers took September to install tooling for the coming model year. You had better have the month of September in the bank.
Sure ... apply for unemployment... 60% of your take home for 52 weeks ... BUT...
You were back to work before the first check was cut.
You’re employed and you damn well better report it... $107.52 ... two weeks. For the month $215.o4 and it usually pops up in the mail just before Christmas ... and you know the wife will look at that and grab it. You know it’s so ... she’s been taking it for 7 years. If you’re lucky you might get a pair of sox ... or a carton of smokes. If you’re single ... well draft beer is a quarter a glass.
White collar employees ... college grads ... start out at $5,200 before tax. After 10 years ... maybe 12 grand ... maybe. $400 grand and a sterling plate watch for 40 loyal years of prosperity.
<32 million.>
I did run off the road ... right into the barrow ditch.
“What?”
<32 million> then a chuckle, <before taxes> another anticipatory pause, <if you take the annuity>. I could HEAR the grin, <50 grand a year per million for 20 years>
My mind wouldn’t, couldn’t calculate ... I had a short overload. And a bleeding forehead.
<a million six hundred thousand dollars a year> again with the pause <before tax.>. <you’ll come away with 1 million a year> <rounded down.>
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.