Day 2: Blending In

No one around me realizes it. They can't even tell that the guy next to them can barely afford to eat.

I thought about this for a good part of the day today. I just finished a full day of classes on campus, which made the dollar-a-day eating even more difficult. I couldn't just grab a sandwich, a mini pizza or some sushi from the Food Market.

Still, I look just like everyone else.

This reminded me a lot of the 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness. In the movie Will Smith's character tries to break into the professional stockbroker world while still trying to support a family. Money is very tight, and at one point he and his young son find themselves homeless on the street.

It's a beautiful movie, but the most striking part is how "normal" Will Smith's character looks to the people around him. They might never guess that he has no place to live.

That's exactly how I felt today. But then I wondered: Is there anyone really struggling like this around me right now? I might now be sitting next to someone who can't afford to eat, and I might never know it.

What a sobering thought.

Laura and I have decided not to talk much to other people about A Dollar to Remember (except to have a couple friends to keep us safe and accountable). One of my roommates doesn't even know. I wonder if he will even realize how little I can afford to eat.

Maybe I will just blend in.