1. Parrott 1
Andrew Parrott
English 101
Professor Bolton
1/30/2012
To Need or to Want: That is the Question
Summer of 2011 started much the same as previous summers had with an explosion of joy
followed by the aftermath and consequences of teenage decisions. Having been raised on the island of
Pawleys since I was three, I adopted a somewhat relaxed outlook on everything. Midway through the
summer, July 4th to be exact, I indulged myself with rough crowds and harmful fun, not taking a single
second to think on the repercussions that would occur only in a matter of time. Days began and days
ended before it ever caught up to me. After much punishment and deep thought, I decided to take a
week of absence to go on a church retreat, hoping I could snap out of my regressive rut.
Four hours on a bus with no air conditioning is enough to dampen anyone’s spirits. “It should be
illegal for any human being to be this sweaty and uncomfortable!” shouts a husky nuisance of a man
from the back of the bus. Kedall was his name. He is a big country kind of guy, who favors white T’s,
denim jeans, boots, a big dip, and constant knowledge of his presence. Quickly becoming “that guy” he
manages to get everyone nodding in agreement on the crummy bus conditions. The nice clean aroma of
friends and fun was slowly churning into thick smog. I NEED to get off this bus. I HAVE to get off this
bus. This was all I could think up. My need of space burned a white hot glow throughout my cramped
body, and I still had an hour ride.
Getting to the church to unpack and see where everyone would be staying for the next week
was an unfortunate fallacy; although the church looked warm from the outside, the inside was cold and
hard as an icicle. The first night was restless. Crammed in a room with five other people didn’t allow for
much comfort and nor did the artificial beds. “Incredibed” was the name. This was the farthest thing

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from incredible I had ever seen! I would’ve gotten better sleep in a tomb. I knew I had to do something
or else I wouldn’t last long. I NEEDED better sleeping conditions.
Wallowing in my own self pity I soon came to see I’m not the only one with a harsh situation.
Waking up before my alarm goes off is a clear sign of trouble. That was how it was for me the morning
after the ice age of time we call the night. Not able to shower before leaving to tour the sites we were
assigned to work on over the week, I knew it was going to be a long day. When I pulled up to the house,
which matched the one given to me, I got a wave of disbelief that someone could ever survive in the
house that crookedly leaned towards me. Mrs. Rose was her name. I remember it clear as day, and her
story is vicious. Her husband passed away at an early age, leaving her to support herself even though
she is physically unable to do the simplest of tasks. Her house was outdated, rotten, stained and reeked
of rusting pipelines. Mrs. Rose, so far lost in the years of her youth, owns nothing more technologically
advanced than a simple house hold appliances. I was shocked speechless for the ride back.
On the way back to the church the only thing I could think of was the sad tragedy that is Mrs.
Rose’s life, but my mindset was quickly cleared when I remembered nothing had been done about the
awful sleeping arrangements. Something had to be done so I hurried down the street to a nearby Wal-
Mart hoping I could find a solution with the money mom had packed me prior to leaving. A portable
heater, one new “comfortable” air mattress, and a copious amount of snacks I figure would keep me
happy for the week while I worked on Mrs. Rose’s house.
We worked every day from 5 to 5 only stopping an hour or two for lunch. There was a plethora
of things that needed work on around the house but I still found myself in a quandary. I started thinking
about things I had never realized and how much I was unaware of the world. I realized that horrible
sights, such as Mrs. Rose, happen all over the world a lot more than I care to imagine. Did I need to get
off the bus or did I want to? Did I need a more suiting sleeping environment? I could have worn more

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clothing at night and still be warm couldn’t I? Mid day through the hottest day of work I had a luminous
epiphany. I wasn’t sure if I knew the obvious difference between an everyday need and want. I was
given money, and steady supply of advanced technology, and more importantly the ability to choose the
want option. I was sick to my stomach when I realized I was not physically, mentally, or emotionally
strong enough to live strictly with my needs alone. Seeing the way Mrs. Rose lived I was disgusted at
first but now I see the truth. Living pay check to pay check, Mrs. Rose must make cautious decisions.
She often times would not bathe in order to save money on the water bill. She was skinny to the bone
from scarcity of food, and didn’t even own a computer or cell phone; however society today could not
make it one day without those so called “necessities”. I never once that entire week saw her frown,
admit defeat, or sink in sorrow about her life. She stayed stronger than anyone every last day and made
the ugly, repulsive, muddy picture look like a beautiful painting from the renaissance. I believe all,
unlike Mrs. Rose, would get stumped attempting to identify the difference between a need and want.