
Image by Lloyd Morgan (license CC BY-SA 2.0)
For the past month, I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night with a single number on my mind- 42,320. When I close my eyes and brace for the sweet release of dream land, that number continues to haunt the happiest places of my mind.
I’m standing on a stage next to my rock and roll heroes, Green Day. We’re launching into a cheerful, but foreboding rendition of their new single, “Bang Bang;” a song that darkly enters the world of mass shootings, pop culture, and social media.
I had assumed the role of rhythm guitarist to back up lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong-A man who I consider to be the coolest guy on the planet. Suddenly, a sign starts flashing in the back of the arena. The crowd and the music cease to exist. The sign is a neon marquee with the number 42,320 flashing in red. A guard gets on the stage, rips my cherry red Stratocaster out of my hands, and throws me to the floor. I’m handcuffed and escorted off the arena stage, Billie Joe and the band screaming, “Hey! Bring her back!” It was the police coming to arrest me for not paying back my student loans.
“We encourage kids to go to college, but is that the correct decision, financially speaking?”