The Last of a Dying Breed

I am the last of the Mohicans. Well, not the last…and not a Mohican either. But, I’ll tell you this, I am fast becoming an alien in my own land. Who am I? I am middle class and live Manhattan.

Have you seen me? I am the one with an actual shopping list moving efficiently through the aisles of Whole Foods. I am not lingering by the fancy cheeses holding the hand of my new lover. No, I am on a mission to provide food for my family and to do so at a relatively low cost.

I am unloading the trunk of a Zip car with my purchases from Ikea. I am spending time by the Hudson with my dog on a Sunday afternoon dressed in velour sweatpants and a great fleece zip up from Old Navy (when they actually made good stuff) --  not in J. Brand Jeans and a motorcycle jacket.

I don’t live paycheck to paycheck and I’m not in debt. I can afford to eat out at most restaurants. I can afford to buy new furniture now and then.  I have annuities and investments but I worry about my retirement and it’s more than 15 years off.

I don’t remember the last time I was in a limo. I don’t share a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 friends. I am middleclass.

If you are out there, if you are like me, I hope we can find each other and share what keeps us going, what keeps us living as a diminishing species in a harsh environment. The tips, the bargains, the respites from entitled 25-year olds barfing at your doorstep and recapture the magic of living in the greatest city in the world.

Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?