Hillbilly Elegy

wanted to do things on my own.) One
Friday morning I dropped off my rent
check, knowing that if I waited another
day, the fifty-dollar late fee would kick
in. I didn’t have enough money to cover
the check, but I’d get paid that day and
would be able to deposit the money after
work. However, after a long day at the
senate, I forgot to grab my paycheck
before I left. By the time I realized the
mistake, I was already home, and the
Statehouse staff had left for the weekend.
On that day, a three-day payday loan,
with a few dollars of interest, enabled
me to avoid a significant overdraft fee.
The legislators debating the merits of
payday lending didn’t mention situations