CONVERSATIONS: student loans, inevitability, food.

You mentioned this is your last week at this branch?
I asked the credit union teller.
Why are you transferring?

A shorter commute,
she said, and set down her paperwork to look at me.
It takes me about 30 minutes to drive to work here. I was in a car accident in February coming back from work. It was a management call. They made us stay late even though there was an icy conditions road alert out. So I hit ice and...yeah.
I got messed up pretty bad. It's like, I'm okay now, but emotionally it's a struggle and I'm still dealing with it.

Well,
I said.
It sounds like the transfer will be positive in a lot of ways.

Oh yeah,
she said.
And I've gotta decide whether I'm going to finish my degree. I have my Associates, but one of the last classes I needed for my Bachelors got canceled because there wasn't enough people and now I've gotta decide if I'm gonna finish it. It's a lotta money, you know?

I know.
I said.
I definitely know.

I have friends who are a hundred thousand dollars in student loan debt and they're not going into jobs where they'll be able to pay them back with the interest and all. They'll be indebted to the government for the rest of their lives. When you're in school, they just try to give you this money. I've returned six thousand, ten thousand dollars 'cause I didn't need it. I said Nope, take it back.

Smart.
I said.
(And meant it)

Yeah.
she continued.
This, what I'm doing now? This is not what I DO. Know what I mean? What I really want to do?...
( she leaned forward)
Food. I love food. Baking, cooking, all that. But it's so much to go to a culinary school and so much uncertainty. Last week they had a cake here at work and I was just "take it back. This is terrible." The frosting was heavy and the cake had no body or consistency. That's how so many of them are these days. You pay a bunch for a cake, or cupcakes, and they're just terrible. You know?

I nodded uncertainly.
I like cupcakes,
I said.
But I'm more of a pie guy.

She shook her head.
I just gotta figure out what I'm gonna do. But I'm a woman of faith, you know? So I know that there's a reason for everything that happens.

Oh.
I said.
I'm not sure about that, but I hope you're able to find a way to do what you love soon.

Yeah.
she said.
I will.