A Spicy Heist Story for the Student Loan Era
I have a Facebook aunt who shall not be named who recently reposted a meme from UnWoke Americans that read, 'You cry my body my choice. I say your student loan, your debt.' I don't think she'd like 'The Payback,' by Kashana Cauley, very much, a novel that takes on our absurd, predatory student loan system with a zany sense of humor. Because how else can we stomach it?
'The Payback' is Cauley's second book, a twisted, cathartic romp that imagines a world so extraordinary — with systems so evil, punishment so extreme, people so apathetic — it could almost be real life.
It's a student loan heist story. A tale of revenge, cheap tequila, a hand-sewn Catwoman suit and the mall, with debt and despair simmering in the background. Our spicy narrator, Jada Williams, is 'pushing 40' and working at a clothing store in a mall in Glendale, Calif., having been recently fired from a movie costume design gig. She's swimming in unfolded polo shirts and student loans. 'Why did I belong to a generation of people who thought so many problems in life could be solved by going to more school?' Oof.
Like our messiest friends, she's fun to hang out with. Upon finding a Patek Philippe watch left in a dressing room, she fantasizes about swiping it and selling it to her jewelry guy: 'I'd perfected the art of lifting the goods with the gentle touch that other, more boring people probably used to do something insufferable, like make soufflés.'
She has sticky fingers, an eye for fashion and an ear for music, which plays through the book so intuitively, the audiobook could be sound tracked. We hear 'Knights in White Satin' by Giorgio Moroder, and then Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, Peter Gabriel. Miley Cyrus's 'Party in the U.S.A.' plays from the store's speakers as tragedy unfolds, and mourners do karaoke at a funeral.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Victim 3' asks judge to release Sean 'Diddy' Combs on bail
Virginia "Gina" Huynh, the woman known as "Victim 3" during the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial, said that Combs should be released from prison. The letter from Huynh is included as an attachment in a response from Combs' legal team filed on Sunday. In the letter, Huynh says she wants to share her observations about Combs' character. "Our relationship, like many, was not always perfect, we experienced ups and downs, and mistakes were made but he was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future," Huynh wrote. MORE: Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted on most serious charges in historic racketeering case The letter goes on to say Huynh believes Combs has not been violent for many years and releasing him would allow him to better support his children. "He has substantial ties to his family and community, including children who depend on him for emotional and financial support. Granting him bond would allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities while still subject to the Court's supervision... Allowing him to be at home will also support the healing process for all involved." In the indictment against Combs, "Victim 3" was described as someone subjected to sexual coercion by Combs. Huynh was expected to be a key witness but was not called to the stand during the trial. Combs has been incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn for 11 months. MORE: Everyone who testified for the prosecution in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial This response from Combs' legal team is their latest attempt to convince Judge Arun Subramanian that Combs should be allowed to get out of prison while he awaits sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 3. Combs' attorneys have argued there are "exceptional reasons" why he should be allowed out on a $50 million bond, but prosecutors say the rap mogul has an "extensive history of violence" that makes it impossible for him to prove he would not pose a danger to the community if released. Following an eight-week federal trial, a jury convicted Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted him of more serious sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex-Girlfriend, Who Was 'Victim 3' in His Indictment, Writes Letter of Support for Bail Before Sentencing
Virginia "Gina" Huynh identified herself by name for the first time and asked the judge to grant Combs bond to "allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities"NEED TO KNOW Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend Virginia "Gina" Huynh wrote a letter to a New York judge asking for him to be released on bail ahead of his sentencing Huynh, who was referred to "Victim-3" in Combs' indictment, identified herself by name for the first time and asked the judge to grant the music mogul bond to "allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities" Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and will be sentenced on Oct. 3Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend Virginia "Gina" Huynh, who was referred to as "Victim-3" in his indictment, wrote a letter to a New York judge asking for him to be released on bail. In her letter, Huynh — identifying herself by name for the first time — advocated for Judge Arun Subramanian to grant Combs, 55, bond to "allow him to continue caring for his family and fulfilling his responsibilities while still subject to the Court's supervision." The letter was submitted to the court on Sunday, Aug. 3, by Combs' defense team. Huynh also wrote that she does not believe Combs is a danger to the public and that he is a committed "family man … who has not been violent in many years." "I believe it is important for the Court to have a full picture of who he is beyond the allegations," she added. "Our relationship, like many, was not always perfect, we experienced ups and downs, and mistakes were made but he was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future," Huynh continued in the letter. She added, "Over the years that followed, he made visible efforts to become a better person and to address the harm he had caused. By the time our relationship ended, he embodied an energy of love, patience and gentleness that was markedly different from his past behavior." Huynh said this is Combs' "first criminal case," and she wrote about how she believes the music mogul would not violate any conditions the court sets for release, as well as how she thinks he "will not jeopardize his freedom or the well-being of his family." "Throughout the investigation and proceedings, he has been cooperative, respectful and compliant. He has substantial ties to his family and community, including children who depend on him for emotional and financial support," Huynh continued. "Allowing him to be at home will also support the healing process for all involved." Before Combs' trial began, prosecutors alerted the court that they could no longer locate Huynh (then known only as "Victim-3") and said they had lost touch with both her and her attorney. She was referenced several times in the government's indictment of Combs, but she never testified in his trial. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. In the indictment, prosecutors accused Combs of using "force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims, including but not limited to three female victims ... to engage in commercial sex acts" for payments and other financial opportunities." Combs' attorneys most recently asked the judge on July 28 to release him on a $50 million bond while he awaits sentencing for a recent federal conviction on charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. After Combs was acquitted of more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy on July 2, his attorneys sought his immediate release on bond prior to his sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 3. Judge Subramanian denied his release at a bail hearing, saying Combs' history of domestic violence showed he could pose a danger to others. Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The law requires that a defendant convicted under the Mann Act be detained ahead of sentencing, unless there are 'exceptional' reasons why it would be inappropriate. Additionally, in order to be released, a defendant must not pose a risk of flight or danger to the public. During the eight-week trial, prosecutors alleged that Combs was the head of a criminal enterprise that committed such crimes as kidnapping, bribery and arson, and that he forced his ex-girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura and another former longtime girlfriend, who testified at his trial under the pseudonym "Jane," to have sex with male escorts. A 2016 hotel surveillance video showing Combs assaulting Ventura, 38, was among the evidence jurors were shown. Prosecutors vehemently opposed Combs' release at his bail hearing, and they argued that he had been violent with Jane in June 2024 — even after his homes had been raided by federal agents and while he was aware that he was under investigation on sex trafficking allegations. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Gilded Age Shocker: Morgan Spector Was ‘Thrilled' by Episode 7's Jaw-Dropping Ending
This might come as a shock to you, but Morgan Spector tells TVLine that he's 'thrilled' with how Sunday's episode of The Gilded Age ended. The penultimate hour of Season 3 went out with a bang, ending with a moment that surely left every viewer's jaw on the floor. 'I have a delivery for Mr. George Russell,' announced a seemingly innocent courier — that is, until he pulled out a gun. After shooting poor Jones, he turned his weapon towards George and fired. Bang. More from TVLine House of the Dragon Adds Annie Shapero as Alysanne 'Black Aly' Blackwood in Season 3 The Gilded Age Renewed for Season 4 Ahead of Finale The Gilded Age EPs Defend That Tragic Twist in Episode 6: 'I Jumped Out of My Skin When I Watched It' So, why is Spector 'thrilled' that his character is entering next week's season finale on death's door? He has a few reasons actually: First, he simply says, 'that happened,' meaning that it was a historically accurate threat that would theoretically be looming over George's head. (Look no further than the 1872 murder of robber baron Jim Fisk.) But even with its historical accuracy, George's shooting 'just didn't feel like the kind of thing that would happen on The Gilded Age,' he admits, not unlike the shocking carriage accident that unexpectedly killed John Adams last week. And that's what Spector loves about it. 'I'm thrilled the more we get to expand the world.' He thinks of it as 'adding colors to our palette.' Carrie Coon notes that this expanding of the show has been a running theme all season. 'It started with how we kicked things off in the Wild West [in the season premiere],' she tells TVLine. 'It was signaling to the audience that this is not Season 2. We're doing new things.' Also worth discussing from Season 3, Episode 7… * John Adams left Oscar a house and money in his will as a token of their love, and in his grief, Oscar nearly revealed the nature of their relationship to Agnes and Ada. * Led by Mrs. Astor, the ladies of New York society froze out Ward McAllister after his tell-all book exposes their most private affairs, name changes aside. * The Russells' staff set a successful trap for Miss Andre, eventually revealing her to be the mole. * Larry attempted to convince Marian that nothing of ill repute went down at the haymarket, with even Jack coming to his defense while Marian helped him shop for a proper rich man's house. * George told Bertha that her ambition is out of control. (What else is new?) * The Duke proved his devotion to Gladys by suggesting that Lady Sarah find her own place to live. (Finally!) * William's mother learned about Peggy's tragic past, passing along the information to her son, who decided to speak with Peggy himself before making any major decisions. * George got Clay fired by his new employer. (Gee, could Clay have had something to do with George getting shot?) OK, let's talk: Which twist ending shocked you more, last week's carriage crash or this week's shooting? And how heartbreaking was Oscar's near-outing? We have a lot to discuss ahead of next week's finale, so drop a comment with your thoughts below. We know you've got 'em. The Gilded Age IRL: See the Cast Out of Costume View List Best of TVLine Mrs. Maisel Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs Yellowjackets Recap: The Morning After Yellowjackets Recap: The First Supper
