You've been trying all month long just to talk to me

Dear Sallie Mae,

Yes, I know I owe you a crapload of money. Believe me, not a day goes by- hell, hardly an hour goes by- when I'm not hit with the realization that I owe you more than I owed on my first home. And yes, I do understand that the interest is accruing and compounding even while I'm in deferment or forbearance or sticking-my-head-in-the-sand-itis; the interest is now a large percentage of my overall principle.

I also realize that it isn't YOUR fault (nor the other lenders I relied on to pay my tuition) that I chose to go to medical school, even though I didn't have enough money to pay cash for it. I also sympathize that it isn't YOUR fault that I chose to be a stay at home mom after my son was born and thus don't have the physician's salary I thought I would when I took on this debt. I totally ooooooooooooown that.

But I am saying it must be nice to be a Congressionally chartered and subsidized yet still private corporation who receives tons of our taxpayer's dollars to out price competition and make your shareholders wallets thick without financial risk. It must be nice to have such a special, intimate relationship with the government where, for example, I am not allowed to take MY debt to a different lender, one who would agree to an interest rate lower than 8%. When I consolidated all of my student loan debt in order to make monthly payments manageable, I HAD to bring loans from other lenders to YOU, because that's part of the deal you worked out with our government. I'm just saying.

So I'm stuck with you...and yeah, I'll pay you back. Oh, and sorry about those weeks there when our phone number was messed up and you were trying to get in contact with me (because I'm behind in my payments). Talk to Comcast about that. You're hard to get a hold of, too...well, at least it's hard to talk with someone there, too.

LoveYours, Christine

P.S.: Not that we've even considered bankruptcy, that's not even an option for us but it must be nice for you to know that you, and you alone, are exempt from having your loans discharged in a bankruptcy case. Even family members would have to be paid back in court, but not you, our a Congressionally chartered and subsidized yet still private corporation. Just saying, it must be flipping NICE to be you.