This was so dope on many levels, but really like your writing here. The description in this is spot on, and I love the tone. Ironically yesterday I was on a support chat with Adobe trying to cancel my subscription— they were trying to charge me $59 because I was canceling before having said subscription for less than a year. This is illegal based on click to pay laws. Long story, short, love the synchronicity and how I could situate myself in Deb’s shoes and the narrator excellent work!
This brutal and enthralling descent into capitalist hell was darkly funny, morally excruciating, and too real to ignore. Fitzgerald turns debt collection into high literary fiction, and he names suffering as the price of survival.
Man. This one stays with you. Not because of the gore or the shock—because of the truth humming under every line. That dead fluorescent tone, the way everything’s said like it’s been said a thousand times before—it’s disgusting and familiar and completely believable. And that’s what makes it hit.
“Hate them because every day they prove how inhuman you thought you weren’t.”
Yeah. That one stopped me.
You’re not just writing characters—you’re writing systems. You’re showing what happens when the empathy gets boiled off and all that’s left is procedure and crumbs. It doesn’t feel exaggerated. It feels close.
Thank you, I really appreciate these words and I am glad that it hit! Also: thank you for taking the time to read it!
The debt system is cruel to everyone involved— debtor, collector… it doesn’t matter, debt is imaginary and this is one of the evilest make-believe games we play
Don’t listen to Pete, empathy is the most important thing we have
I’ll admit It’s been a looong time since I’ve read proverbs, but isn’t that one rather a warning about the system itself, than a law of God? Damn, shoulda crept that one in there, with all the ‘chanting’ in this story it would have fit somewhere, I’m sure
You and Andy got some sort of weird thing going on? Y'all on the same wavelength here? What the fuck? (Glock 19) I hope he kills Pete. But goddamn, this was a good piece. Fuck me. The future is a threat, and the future is here, and we are apparently writing it? I fear we may write it into existence.
Man, Andy writes the exact kinda things I was gonna release before I discovered him and had to have a seat. Then I saw what you were doing with minimalism (and something else yet that I have not put my finger to) and I had to have several seats. End of December and it was clear that I had to knuckle down and eat that horse!
I fear so also. I’m a disappointed optimist at heart, and will be fighting every inch I can for a better tomorrow, but ain’t nobody gonna say that I didn’t warn ‘em if this shit comes to pass
What fucks me up about this is there's some truth in the matter. We make debt collectors the villains because they are one more company we dread giving our money too. When the phone calls don't stop we hate them even more and it feels like borderline harassment and they're just doing their jobs. Most of them.
There are some absolute shitheads in the debt business who WILL be up against the wall when the hammer comes down, but yeah; a lot of single moms busing in from the city with their own piles of mail, too. I hate the system, all of it.
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I recorded it from my phone and we are gonna pretend that was punk rock of me ;P lol
I remember going into an interview for a job in Hospital Collections. The guy who interviewed me for the job looked like he lost his soul a long time ago. This story felt like a glimpse into what my life may have been like if I would've taken that job if they would have offered it to me.
You don't need me to tell you i loved it... But Like I said at the weekend...
I DO
and the little touches here and there i think polished it right up.
Pete is pure filth. those ranch dusted fingers jabbing away...the gloating...the merciless schooling...YOU MUST HATE THE DEBRAS ... the life he's going to buy with that soul sucking commission.
lovely.
strangely i am craving a dynamite hot STAGG chili now...
Thank you, Nick, I really appreciate that! Your suggestions made this piece measurably better, and I had no idea that you took time out of preparing for/doing your wedding to do so! What the hell? I hope y'all die happy and that there is not a next time, but next time DONT DO THAT.
The world deserves a better chili than STAGG, that was your first suggestion and your best. Thank you again, brother!
This was so dope on many levels, but really like your writing here. The description in this is spot on, and I love the tone. Ironically yesterday I was on a support chat with Adobe trying to cancel my subscription— they were trying to charge me $59 because I was canceling before having said subscription for less than a year. This is illegal based on click to pay laws. Long story, short, love the synchronicity and how I could situate myself in Deb’s shoes and the narrator excellent work!
Thank you, good sir, that means a lot to me. I was both a collector (hate myself for it) and a 9-11 operator at different points in my life
Man I hate Adobe, had to go through that same thing last year
Thank you for your readership 🖖
every time I read it it gets better. 😎
You’re a goddamn prince!
wooooooow
This brutal and enthralling descent into capitalist hell was darkly funny, morally excruciating, and too real to ignore. Fitzgerald turns debt collection into high literary fiction, and he names suffering as the price of survival.
my brother!
Shit, thank you so much! That is incredible praise. I hate this system more than I can express. I’m glad you picked up what I was going for
Thank you, my friend 🖖
you made that hate into art which they also hate so you are really nailing it!
Thank you. That’s really key, isn’t it? When something is wrong you commit art against it
Bleak. Haunting. I love that it took me half the piece to even clue in that this was spec fic. That’s how I know it’s good.
Thank you! I usually come straight outta the gun there, genre-wise, so I am glad to hear this worked! I appreciate the readership 🖖
Welcome, it was very well told.
Man. This one stays with you. Not because of the gore or the shock—because of the truth humming under every line. That dead fluorescent tone, the way everything’s said like it’s been said a thousand times before—it’s disgusting and familiar and completely believable. And that’s what makes it hit.
“Hate them because every day they prove how inhuman you thought you weren’t.”
Yeah. That one stopped me.
You’re not just writing characters—you’re writing systems. You’re showing what happens when the empathy gets boiled off and all that’s left is procedure and crumbs. It doesn’t feel exaggerated. It feels close.
Thank you, I really appreciate these words and I am glad that it hit! Also: thank you for taking the time to read it!
The debt system is cruel to everyone involved— debtor, collector… it doesn’t matter, debt is imaginary and this is one of the evilest make-believe games we play
Don’t listen to Pete, empathy is the most important thing we have
For the next one!
I thought it was a Dave Ramsay quote… lol
Hah! Might as well be.
Borrower is slave to the lender. My man.
I’ll admit It’s been a looong time since I’ve read proverbs, but isn’t that one rather a warning about the system itself, than a law of God? Damn, shoulda crept that one in there, with all the ‘chanting’ in this story it would have fit somewhere, I’m sure
Ouch. This story feels like a malfunctioning blood pressure cuff, just squeezing and squeezing and squeezing
I’m glad it had it’s desired affect (effect? I’m a writer!)
Thank you for the read, good sir!
You and Andy got some sort of weird thing going on? Y'all on the same wavelength here? What the fuck? (Glock 19) I hope he kills Pete. But goddamn, this was a good piece. Fuck me. The future is a threat, and the future is here, and we are apparently writing it? I fear we may write it into existence.
Man, Andy writes the exact kinda things I was gonna release before I discovered him and had to have a seat. Then I saw what you were doing with minimalism (and something else yet that I have not put my finger to) and I had to have several seats. End of December and it was clear that I had to knuckle down and eat that horse!
I fear so also. I’m a disappointed optimist at heart, and will be fighting every inch I can for a better tomorrow, but ain’t nobody gonna say that I didn’t warn ‘em if this shit comes to pass
Absolutely fucked, and I loved it for that
Thank you, I am glad, and I appreciate the read!
Justice for Deb! 😭
What fucks me up about this is there's some truth in the matter. We make debt collectors the villains because they are one more company we dread giving our money too. When the phone calls don't stop we hate them even more and it feels like borderline harassment and they're just doing their jobs. Most of them.
Poor Deb - she suffered.
M.P. this was great and I enjoyed the voice over.
Deb deserves more.
There are some absolute shitheads in the debt business who WILL be up against the wall when the hammer comes down, but yeah; a lot of single moms busing in from the city with their own piles of mail, too. I hate the system, all of it.
Thank you! I really appreciate that. I recorded it from my phone and we are gonna pretend that was punk rock of me ;P lol
Properly written like a psycho, well done M.P.
Thank you kindly, I appreciate that high-praise!
I only meant to read a paragraph, Michael, but this is so good. Love the funny twist at the end ("emergency services").
That it carried you to the end is the best thing I could hear. Thank you, it means a lot to me that you think so!
Immaculate darkness. Well done.
Thank you, Steve, that means a lot to me!
You are very welcome M
I remember going into an interview for a job in Hospital Collections. The guy who interviewed me for the job looked like he lost his soul a long time ago. This story felt like a glimpse into what my life may have been like if I would've taken that job if they would have offered it to me.
I didn’t notice how far away everyone looked until I was out of it. When you are surrounded by that, it becomes the norm.
Thank you for reading, it means a lot to me.
What really took me was the fact that I learned things I never would’ve looked for myself, while still connecting with the story on a personal level.
Serious, serious, good shit.
Thank you! I appreciate hearing that. I, unfortunately, know a lot about the inner workings of these hellholes.
You don't need me to tell you i loved it... But Like I said at the weekend...
I DO
and the little touches here and there i think polished it right up.
Pete is pure filth. those ranch dusted fingers jabbing away...the gloating...the merciless schooling...YOU MUST HATE THE DEBRAS ... the life he's going to buy with that soul sucking commission.
lovely.
strangely i am craving a dynamite hot STAGG chili now...
Thank you, Nick, I really appreciate that! Your suggestions made this piece measurably better, and I had no idea that you took time out of preparing for/doing your wedding to do so! What the hell? I hope y'all die happy and that there is not a next time, but next time DONT DO THAT.
The world deserves a better chili than STAGG, that was your first suggestion and your best. Thank you again, brother!
it was my pleasure. it helped me take my mind off of the nerves and stress of the prep! so glad the STAGG CHILI hit the same spot for you!