I was invisible. I didn't have a driving license, passport, social security number, or any kind of ID; I didn't pay taxes; I didn't have a bank account, credit cards, or investments; I didn't even have an address, I was leaving in a van; I was unknown to the credit rating agencies; I was not on welfare; I didn’t have health insurance; I didn't belong to any political party or organization of any kind; I didn't vote; I took advantage of everything free. All my business was in cash. I even had a few bucks stashed under my mattress.

I liked it like this, I considered myself a free man. I didn't make the fat cats in the business world richer. The government did not stick its nose into my life. I had strong beliefs. I was living in an invisible world. My employer was invisible. I was shopping at invisible shops. I was sending money to my mother invisibly, through the postal service. I was living in the cash world. And cash was like me, free.

Unfortunately believes erode. One day I realized that I was using government money, government highways, government…. was everywhere. Suddenly I wanted to be visible. I was now, like other hundreds of thousands, an unwilling invisible. My conversion to visibility was very difficult. I made a lot of sacrifices but I succeeded.

The digital wall was making the cash world smaller and smaller. I had to cut on other vital expenses and pay for my money. I realized that even when I pay with my credit card the merchants were paying for me. I missed my cash.

My plea to the government.

Dear Government,

Thank you for giving us the cash for free. Unfortunately, the world of cash is shrinking. Financial exclusion is a way of life for many of the citizens under your jurisdiction. I understand that you cannot open an account for me with the Fed and I don't want you to nationalize the banks. Can you give us some kind of free digital tokens? Something like the serial number on a Fed note to pass around instead of the note itself.

With kind regards,
A Financially Excluded

And the government answered:

Dear Financially Excluded

We would like to help, but we do not know how to prevent the double-spending.

Sincerely,
Your Government