Jason Capital - Higher Status

step. I knew I had to give up the pot—that was an easy
decision—but I was about to learn that I hadn’t even hit
rock bottom yet.
One of my first nights back home, some of my buddies
from college hit me up to come out for some drinks. To
them, I was the one kid in the group that had actually
started to become successful and moved away from Michigan—to
sunny California, no less. They had no clue the
financial trouble I was in, and of course I didn’t want them
to know. I had to keep up the front.
When the time came to order the second round of shots
at the bar, I stepped up. “Shots are on me!” I pulled out
my card and handed it to the bartender like the rock star
I was pretending to be. About twenty seconds later, he
came back with the bad news.
“Sorry man, this card was declined. Wanna try another?”
Shit. Not good.
I gave him a different card, but I already knew it would
get declined. My heart was racing, my mouth was dry. I
was just beyond embarrassed. “It’s probably just the bank
protecting me since I’m traveling and not in California
right now,” I told them, hoping they bought it.
H IGH-STATUS DEST I NY · 47