“Well, in several ways,” Mitchell began to answer for himself. “First of all, since the majority of the middle class is employed by America’s larger companies, the government is able to take the money right out of their checks. So they don’t have much of a choice. But the rich, who receive the majority of their income through cash receipts, business deals, dividend payouts, real estate sales, and contract payments, are given the opportunity to determine when they want to pay their taxes. By the time that happens, with what’s left of it, they can then decide with us how they’d like to shelter it. And with your extreme poor, you’ll find that a large percentage of them are paid under the table with cash, which they’re not gonna report for taxes. Nor are the poor going to report cash gifts or any kinds of illegal monies.

“So, who ends up paying the majority of the taxes?” he concluded. “You guessed it. The middle class.” He said, “The middle class also like to overuse credit, and they always pay the highest rates for it. But you’re not gonna give a credit card worth any value to the extreme poor. And with the rich, well, of course, they know better, so they’re always going to negotiate the better credit rates.”

On that note, Ivan slipped into the restroom and remembered when Barry Mitchell had made a similar speech to him more than five years ago.

“I still haven’t been able to get the government off my middleclass back,” he mumbled.

When he walked back out of the stall to wash his hands at the sink, he thought, There are no more excuses for me now. I have all the information I need to make my money work for me. And what I don’t know only takes a phone call or a sit-down to find out. So it’s all about my willpower now.

When Ivan exited the bathroom, Mitchell was still going strong in his office.

He said, “The American dream has become such a strong illusion for the middle class that they’re actually willing to accept their position as its mule.”

One of the older secretaries, who worked close enough in her cubicle to hear every word of Mitchell’s lecture, met eyes with Ivan as he walked by.

She shook her head with a frown and was tired of hearing it all. She even let Ivan know her opinion on the matter.

“It’s not everyone’s goal or purpose to be rich,” she stated.

Ivan heard her out and chuckled as he walked by. But he didn’t necessarily agree with her.

Is it our goal and purpose to remain mules? he contemplated. What is our goal and purpose, then? I know I’m not planning to be a mule all my life, while the rich ride my back.