obscene wealth

(r. sandler, 1983)

Let's say you want to take your family somewhere - the country, the beach, a different city. This, of course, costs money. Take the travel expenses out of it. Renting a house - a nice place - costs you. There are degrees but, if you want a beautiful or comfortable place to stay, you pay for it.

We vacationed with friends (one of whom introduced me to the above photographer) in Cape Cod for a bit this summer. A very cool house with the greying cedar shingles and what you could almost consider a rambling yard, well appointed interior, nothing fancy, had its faults (close to the road, not in the Wellfleet area code) but just right for all of us. A place that made for a totally memorable vacation for our family and theirs. Couldn't afford it. A last minute deal made its availability to us possible (a lot of dead air and desperate owners on vrbo this past year) but, still, we weren't sure we could do it. Actually, we were sure we couldn't do it. My friend made it very easy on us, and took the greater share. But it was still an effort, financially. A risk. And my wife and I both work, have savings, work decent paying jobs, etc. so, no, I'm not a pauper nor living a life of basic survival, nor do I claim to but, right, here is my observation:

the wealthy don't even have to pay for it.

They are loaned houses or penthouses by other wealthy people. Have you ever noticed that? Leaving the Obama (perfection) vacations aside, when you would read about, say, the Clintons using Dick Parson's place or the like, I am pretty sure they don't have to pay for it. Unless I'm completely wrong. But even people I know - people who can afford to do pretty much anything they want - when they come to New York, they borrow their family friends' place on Park Avenue at 83rd with a foyer that is bigger than my entire field of vision. like a football field. A rich person's apartment. And, they don't pay for it - that would be absurd. It is loaned to them.

Wealth seems easy enough.