The monster has me today. I am on my Welbutrin again, but it will take a couple days to wipe the grim reaper out of my head.

The neighbors are a fine bunch. The ones on the west side live in the lower level of a two-storey house converted to apartments. There are the man and woman, plus the man's adult daughter and her post-toddler son. Other neighbors call the boy the kid from Hell. He appears to be hyper-active and full of urine and vinegar. He never stops moving, running, shouting, etc.

I hear it is normal for folks like those to spawn children like that one. I feel sorry for the kid. He is a whole lot more "normal" than they are.

The mom cusses and slaps him around. She acts as if the kid is a colossal burden on her miserable life. She shouts at him, which brings his screaming response. She is a basket case for a parent, and the child takes the pain for it.

Personally, I think one should pass tests and be required to get a license before rearing a child.

Poor kid.

Then there is the money situation. Once again I don't believe I can make it through this month. I need to sell something or I'll be auctioning off a few cats.

But then I'm not the only one.

There are people with absolutely no way to get through the month because they have awful afflictions and no health coverage or insurance. Some people don't seem to care about them, but I do.

I am fortunate that I am on Medicare and also have the VA backing me. I paid in cash and my own blood for those rights.

Now, in the time of my life when afflictions seem to appear every morning, I at least have some backing.

Far too many don't.