How did I get this broke?

I am bankrupt. I need aid. I am certain I am not alone going through this dilemma, but I am honest enough to admit that it is my fault, entirely.

Not my employer for paying me half-way through the month, not my landlady for insisting I pay her the four months’ rent I owed, not even those guys who came to my door two days to Christmas with a bunch of children, singing Christmas Carols in exchange for donations for their charity home.

To them I generously gave a bundle of money. No, I cannot blame them for my current financial troubles.

The ones who are really responsible are those three university girls who take alcohol in illegal amounts for their age.

But even still, I cannot blame them entirely because they did not ask me to spend my money on them. I found them managing fine, and I asked if I could join. My girl was in the village, and I was supposed to be leaving the next day too.

Without even looking at me, they nodded their heads, their bottles still glued to their lips. I sat, and for the next 12 hours, stayed there, talking, and laughing, although I cannot recall what about.

When the manager decided to close the place for cleaning, I suggested we relocate to my house. By this time, I did not even know what time it was, but for some reason, even though they had had a head start on me, these three girls were still sitting upright, typing away on their phones.

I could only marvel. Then I remembered that I had not even called my girl to find out if she had arrived safely at her grandparents’ home in Mbarara. I could not find my phone, so I simply picked a phone on the table and called her. Yes, she was okay, but whose number was I calling her on? I had no idea, and I hang up.

I could still hear her asking whose phone I was using and where I was and who was talking in my background. I did not want to get into that argument with her, because I could not hold an argument with a rat at that moment. Then, my maid told me she needed her salary, she wanted to go home.

I checked my pockets, but there was no money. I went to my room, and there was none. I started to panic. I had a bundle just yesterday. Or was it the other day? I did not even know what day it was. But why had I withdrawn all my salary? I asked her how many drinks she had bought.

“Very many, but the girls paid for most of them, because you did not have money.” So that killed my suspicions that they had robbed me. Plus, they were still here, drinking away, even when my money had run out, meaning they had their own. I checked the drinks on the table, and I had never heard of some of those brands. I staggered to the ATM and it showed me I had Shs2,000 left.

That could not even pay for my maid’s transport! I staggered back to the house, asked one of the girls to give me Shs50,000, and without even asking what for, she reached into her bag, pulled out a note and handed it to me, which I handed to my maid.

Then she left. I have not had a sensible meal since then. My girl probably threw me out, plus, what are these girls still doing in my house? But anyway, if it was not for them, I would have starved to death by now. But, where do they get the money from? And what am I going to do when they leave?