Brett and Terri
saw each other
nearly every day,
coming and going.
One morning
they ran into each other
getting their mail.
That day,
Terri got
three new credit card offers.
“You are pre-approved!”
said one letter.
“We’ll give you
a higher credit limit!”
said another letter.
“No annual fee
for the first year!”
It was easy
to get more credit.
“Why not?”
Terri said to Brett.
And she signed up
for three more cards.
When the first new card
came in the mail,
Brett watched Terri
rip open the envelope.
“Come shopping with me!”
Terri begged him.
“I need some things
for my apartment.
And then I’ll take you
out to dinner.”
Brett couldn’t say no.
He wanted to be
with Terri.
She was pretty.
She was fun.
She was happy
all the time.
So off they went
to the shopping mall.
Terri bought
a clothes rack
to hang new clothes on,
because her closet
was full.
She bought
a new clock,
only because she liked it.
She also bought
a new rug.
She already had
a good rug.
But she bought
a new one anyway.
And she bought
two more handbags.
At least five handbags
were already in her closet
with tags still on them.
Brett helped Terri
to his car.
He stuffed the things
in the trunk
and the back seat.
Then he carried everything
up to Terri’s apartment.
After that,
they went out to dinner.
Terri paid
with the new credit card.
“My treat!”
she said.
“Are you rich
or something?”
Brett asked her.
“Those cards
aren’t play money,
you know.”
“Not your problem,”
Terri told him.
“I’m on top of it.”
“I’m speaking up
because I care
about you,”
said Brett.
“I don’t want
to see you
get into money trouble.”
“Really, Brett,”
said Terri,
rolling her eyes.
“You don’t need
to worry about me.”