can’t buy me love
Jun. 10th, 2002 09:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hackthis_archiveIs money the root of all evil, or are people just gonna fuck it up anyway? rich or poor be damned? I mean I used to have money and was miserable fucker; now I ain’t got two nickels but I seem to be pretty happy. Of course that’s a completely different story about whatever the fuck I call being zen … maybe it’s just the chemical enhancements.
~ * ~
'If bad times paid interest
I'd have you to thank
Yeah, I'd be driving a new car
Have money in the bank
And I'd be the richest man
I'd be the richest man, in the world
-Counting Crows ‘The Richest Man’
According to the National Geographic in Lex’s office, the richest man in the world is the Sultan of Brunei. He’s got so much money that Clark’s brain can’t even compute that many zeroes and has to put a few on the next line.
It’s just beyond Clark’s comprehension.
The richest man in the world has got his own *country*. It should really be called something like Brunei Land.
It’s just mind-boggling, the idea of all that money. Never worrying about tractor repairs and truck parts and where the mortgage money is going to come from. There are some things that Clark just can’t ever conceive of. Having money like that.
Maybe one day, when Lex is the richest man in the world, he’ll live someplace called Lex Country.
Lex could probably have his own country right now though. Lex has everything else that money can buy, why not a country?
Maybe that’s what Lex needs.
As he flips through the pages of the magazine, Clark wonders if the Sultan is happy. If people that rich even think about things like being happy, or if that’s something that you only worry about when you start avoiding your bank manager’s phone calls.
Happiness as something tangible, like money in the bank. Money in your wallet, and a Ferrari or three in the garage.
Of course the Sultan isn’t the richest man in Clark’s little world. Maybe he’s not a very good example.
Clark’s not rich, but he thinks he’s happy. As happy as he knows how to be when his parents are in debt and the girl he adores is in love with someone else. And, okay, so Clark isn’t spoiled, at least not by his parents, but he still has Lex.
Lex makes him happy.
And yet, Lex is the richest man that Clark knows, but he doesn’t seem to be very happy. Maybe when you’re that rich it doesn’t matter. Maybe when you can buy everything you have to find other stuff to keep you happy.
Maybe that’s why Lex likes Clark.
Maybe happiness is just a by-product.
~ * ~
“Planning on saving the rainforests, Clark?”
“Maybe during Spring Break, it’d be cool to get away from Kansas.” From the boy who’s only been to Metropolis twice, three times counting the Zero incident.
“Good idea to plan ahead, it’ll probably take a day or two at least.”
That wry Lex grin that’s nothing like happiness and everything like resignation.
“Lex?”
Silence.
“Are you happy?”
More silence and something fleeting that even Clark can’t catch. “Are we talking rhetorically or literally?”
“Just in general, I think.”
“Well, at this moment in time I’ve got a cost analysis that’s a pain in the ass, so no, I’m not particularly happy.”
“I meant more general than that.”
“I think that’s a pretty broad topic to cover, Clark. Happiness is a pretty subjective thing. Any particular reason you’re asking?”
“I was just curious.”
“You always are.”
“It’s just that you have all this – this stuff, but it doesn’t seem -”
“To make me happy?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Happiness is a by-product, Clark. You get it where you can.”
A by-product. Like something you get at a store. Something you buy. Maybe money isn’t the answer.
Maybe it’s the problem.
“Lex?”
“Yes, Clark?”
“Just so you know, it’s not the money that’s important.”
“Important to who? Don’t let my father hear that.”
“I just meant that even if you weren’t the richest man I know, I’d still…”
“You’d still what, Clark?”
“I’d still want to be your friend.”
~ * ~
‘How many times
Have you heard someone say
If I had money, I’d do things my way.
But little they know
That it’s so hard to find
One rich man in ten, with a satisfied mind’
-Jeff Buckley ‘Satisfied Mind’
~ * ~
'If bad times paid interest
I'd have you to thank
Yeah, I'd be driving a new car
Have money in the bank
And I'd be the richest man
I'd be the richest man, in the world
-Counting Crows ‘The Richest Man’
According to the National Geographic in Lex’s office, the richest man in the world is the Sultan of Brunei. He’s got so much money that Clark’s brain can’t even compute that many zeroes and has to put a few on the next line.
It’s just beyond Clark’s comprehension.
The richest man in the world has got his own *country*. It should really be called something like Brunei Land.
It’s just mind-boggling, the idea of all that money. Never worrying about tractor repairs and truck parts and where the mortgage money is going to come from. There are some things that Clark just can’t ever conceive of. Having money like that.
Maybe one day, when Lex is the richest man in the world, he’ll live someplace called Lex Country.
Lex could probably have his own country right now though. Lex has everything else that money can buy, why not a country?
Maybe that’s what Lex needs.
As he flips through the pages of the magazine, Clark wonders if the Sultan is happy. If people that rich even think about things like being happy, or if that’s something that you only worry about when you start avoiding your bank manager’s phone calls.
Happiness as something tangible, like money in the bank. Money in your wallet, and a Ferrari or three in the garage.
Of course the Sultan isn’t the richest man in Clark’s little world. Maybe he’s not a very good example.
Clark’s not rich, but he thinks he’s happy. As happy as he knows how to be when his parents are in debt and the girl he adores is in love with someone else. And, okay, so Clark isn’t spoiled, at least not by his parents, but he still has Lex.
Lex makes him happy.
And yet, Lex is the richest man that Clark knows, but he doesn’t seem to be very happy. Maybe when you’re that rich it doesn’t matter. Maybe when you can buy everything you have to find other stuff to keep you happy.
Maybe that’s why Lex likes Clark.
Maybe happiness is just a by-product.
~ * ~
“Planning on saving the rainforests, Clark?”
“Maybe during Spring Break, it’d be cool to get away from Kansas.” From the boy who’s only been to Metropolis twice, three times counting the Zero incident.
“Good idea to plan ahead, it’ll probably take a day or two at least.”
That wry Lex grin that’s nothing like happiness and everything like resignation.
“Lex?”
Silence.
“Are you happy?”
More silence and something fleeting that even Clark can’t catch. “Are we talking rhetorically or literally?”
“Just in general, I think.”
“Well, at this moment in time I’ve got a cost analysis that’s a pain in the ass, so no, I’m not particularly happy.”
“I meant more general than that.”
“I think that’s a pretty broad topic to cover, Clark. Happiness is a pretty subjective thing. Any particular reason you’re asking?”
“I was just curious.”
“You always are.”
“It’s just that you have all this – this stuff, but it doesn’t seem -”
“To make me happy?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Happiness is a by-product, Clark. You get it where you can.”
A by-product. Like something you get at a store. Something you buy. Maybe money isn’t the answer.
Maybe it’s the problem.
“Lex?”
“Yes, Clark?”
“Just so you know, it’s not the money that’s important.”
“Important to who? Don’t let my father hear that.”
“I just meant that even if you weren’t the richest man I know, I’d still…”
“You’d still what, Clark?”
“I’d still want to be your friend.”
~ * ~
‘How many times
Have you heard someone say
If I had money, I’d do things my way.
But little they know
That it’s so hard to find
One rich man in ten, with a satisfied mind’
-Jeff Buckley ‘Satisfied Mind’
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 10:05 am (UTC)I have been reading this smallville (pah!) fic, by you and the others.
I may have to give the show another try!
Whatever you do, don't tell Ali, Ice, Kass, everyone... I will be laughed outta Lex Country! *g*
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 10:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 10:57 am (UTC)*opens her braincase and roots around for the right word*
*finds the right word, dusts it off and places it on her desk*
Glurblicious.
This fic made me think about happiness and friendship and, that scary, thing...money. Someone once asked me why I wasn't off trying to make more money and I said..this is one of two jobs I've held were I feel real happy. Yep..there are the ups and downs but overall I'm as blissful as can be. So...this ficlet made me think about that and how it would be if I were in Lex's place with all this money and advantage. The thing is with him that he has all this baggage that makes the privilege and money superfluous.
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 01:00 pm (UTC)i'm glad, baby. i understand what you mean. i've had it all and right now i ain't got much but i'm free to do the other stuff that i want. and yet. and yet i keep thinking that just that wee bit more is what i really need. i think that happy medium only exists in 'a wrinkle in time.'
Re:
Date: 2002-06-10 10:16 am (UTC)another one bites the dust!
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 02:08 pm (UTC)And the icon! You're already using it!
I feel so proud. :)
Re:
Date: 2002-06-10 02:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 02:45 pm (UTC)Dammit, I'm itching to make an Emmett icon and I can't find a picture that suitably satisfies me!! *grr*
Re:
Date: 2002-06-10 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 12:41 pm (UTC)Someone has made me a very happy Ice today... who could that be? Could it be my Troggi?
*resists urge to ROFL*
re: happiness
Date: 2002-06-10 11:34 am (UTC)You rock.
I may have to build you a shrine.
Re: happiness
Date: 2002-06-10 01:02 pm (UTC)whatever you're on may i have a few? please, jen?
I hearts me some z
Date: 2002-06-10 12:42 pm (UTC)Missed you hon.
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 02:11 pm (UTC)The one thing I was wondering is when can I get my "passport" stamped for lex-country ???
*eg*
Re:
Date: 2002-06-10 02:22 pm (UTC)that's what *I'M* saying.
Re:
Date: 2002-06-10 02:51 pm (UTC)lllllllllllexxxxx ...
no subject
Date: 2002-06-10 02:44 pm (UTC)My dad is hitting fifty and we had this conversation about the perception of success. He feels that because he hasn't made the money he set out to, and the business ventures he's tried haven't worked out, that he's failed, that he's not successful. I tried to tell him that to me, success is being able to be happy at whatever point on the journey that you're at, and being able to sleep at night because for the most part you don't regret what you've done or how you've treated people regardless of how much money you have or how far up the ladder of percieved success you are. It took him a long time to understand what I was saying. Maybe it's his generation. If genX (includes you babe:)) can be happy in this technocircus, instant gratification, war for entertainment world, then we truly are the most successful generation yet.