In Which Puff Daddy Became a Theorist.

(3 minutes into Cirque du Freak…but not without an introduction.) 

Few days ago i had a short conversation with my sister regarding income, class and status, in the middle of a free dinner courtesy of my very generous mother, following an incessant request from her first (and possibly ONLY) grandson for a chicken dinner.

(Salma Hayek grew a beard in Cirque du Freak! That just made her so qualified for that Frida role.) 

I explained to her about this theory which relates one’s income to his perceived social status and needs gratification. For some reasons, i cannot remember that particular socio 101 theory and frankly it frustrated me quite a bit because it happened to be one of my favorites. This theory only meant to explain that a person who is proven rich (based on her bank statements, assets, liabilities, etc.) will not always see him/herself as such because a high income would almost always result in higher and greater wants. In short, no person will ever feel satisfied and people do have limitless greed. In the end everyone always feels poorer than their neighbor.

"Perceived level of satisfaction?" I tried to say out loud hoping it would ring the right bell. ewww. that sounds like half of a title of an undergrad thesis proposal.

I badly wanted to bequeath these precious knowledge to my sister and let her know she is missing so much in life by, for one, not knowing about this amazing theory early on. It was only then, on the dinner table, in the middle of the chicken dinner that she knew that rich people seldom really feel rich making us, the poor ones, and them, EVEN.

(Half an hour before Cirque du Freak sister told me about this relative who loves to brag on facebook about things that she has that only rich people could afford. It is one amazing relative because we knew the real score behind its so-called achievement. I will give it a separate post if I get THAT evil.) 
(oh my god did you see that??!!, willem dafoe is wearing this over the top horribly funny costume in Cirque. this totally topples over the equally hilarious nautical's assistant costume he had in life aquatic.) 

Because sister told me about amazing relative I was reminded of how idiotic I truly was, forgetting about my favorite theory of all time. Or was it even a theory?

I found Husband and decided to ask. He was just making himself comfortable on the bamboo sofa for the Cirque.

I gave him a brief before I proceeded with the one-million-dollar question. I tried to explain--rich people always feeling poor because with their ever increasing income comes their exponentially multiplying wants, proving therefore that rich ones die terribly lonely while poor people will die hungry BUT happy, wow, that’s comforting enough--hoping it would help him remember.


"Oh, I know that," he said very confidently. My eyes shone with excitement.

"Really? You remember? I think I mentioned it to you a number of times but it was a long time ago.” 

"Let me think.” Which he did and then, “Damn, why do I easily forget things these days?"

I began to have a feeling he’s gonna make a good comedy of this again.

"You're evil. You’re just gonna give me some made up names." 

"No, no. I honestly know about it. I know who made that theory." 

"No, you don't. You didn’t have sociology in college." 

"Yeah, but trust me. I know the theorist.” 

"Don’t tell me Maslow. I know he is POPular but this is not a Maslow theo--" 

"No, not him. some black guy." 

"Samuel L. Jackson?" I pitched in expecting he’d get that I already get what’s he’s getting me into and would prematurely abort his evil plan right there.

"No! Of course not!” 

I feigned thinking.

"Oh i get it!" he exclaimed.

"Who?" 

"PUFF DADDY! y'know the song -- Mo' Money Mo' Problems? Doesn’t that say the same thing about rich people and their money problems?" 

Goddamit.