Chapter 13 - Flanders

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One way the payment is exacted is when the pain is slowly released in a great lava flow of suffering which goes on and on for years. This is survivable, in a sense. Life goes on and the back pressure is held at bay. Life is strained, difficult and remains that way for years and years. This payment option offers no relief. Death sits quietly alongside the lava flow, silent and menacing and there is a slow scorching of all those in his proximity.

The second payment option for SuperS is denial with a very big D. In my view this is the worst possible type of reaction to SuperS. This is because of the other fine print when using SuperS. (This is in fine print so small that it is barely readable) This fine print says 'Do not abuse'. No-one tells you the nature of the abuse, and it only becomes apparent much later. Abuse is trying to emulate SuperS after the crises have passed. You know it is not SuperS keeping you going but you seem to be so strong anyway. Life carries on and you seem to be doing so well. But there is an accountant who keeps tally of all these debits and credits. The accountant does not take kindly to this abuse of SuperS and charges interest. Unfortunately there is no regulator and the charges are exorbitant. It seems like a good deal at the time. Any respite is a good deal and you eschew the consequences. They can be paid later.

There is no regular statement, but there is a statement. When it arrives it turns out that you are so far in debt that you cannot pay. Such is life. People who seem miraculously to have come through the most unimaginable traumas unscathed and for so long suddenly one day start to crumble at the edges. The seams burst apart. This is Krakatoa. It's not East or West of Java, it's here, in your living room, in your car, or at your work. It does not affect people in some far off Eastern land, the person it affects is you. These are the people who hold their pain at bay for years and years only to find that they still have to pay the price, and inflation sometimes makes that price too expensive.

The last payment method is the Mount St Helen's option. This is a great explosion of suffering which overwhelms you and those around you. The Mount St Helen's option is different. It is immediate and sweeps all in its path.

All these options are very destructive. There is no Free Lunch. With all options there is extreme damage. Families often disintegrate and lives can fall apart very quickly.

SuperS is not always as miraculous as I have described. A lot of the time you feel that you are 'running on empty'. There is no fight left, there is nothing inside but you just keep going anyway.

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