Otto Octavius was a remarkably pure-minded researcher, specializing in Nuclear Physics. Though he could not be called among the very best in the world, he was certainly at the top of his field. Yet even though he was middle-aged and had neither married nor had children, he still faced considerable pressure.
Although Otto was a native of New York State, he had been born far from New York City. His family could not exactly be called merely poor; they had been utterly destitute. His father was the only one who worked, yet he drank heavily every day and occasionally resorted to Domestic Violence. Their financial situation spoke for itself.
Otto had an exceptional talent for studying. By grinding through problems, he made his way into the Physics Department of the best schools. After graduation, his research career went smoothly as well. A few published papers brought him instant fame, making him one of the field's leading nuclear physicists.
But he still had many practical problems to face. To work in New York City, one either rented a place or bought one, and Otto had always rented.
But New York City's rent was enough to make people shudder at the mere mention of it. After renting for so many years, Otto suddenly realized that most of his savings had gone straight into his landlord's pocket. This could not continue.
As he grew older, marriage and starting a family became an unavoidable issue. But if he was still renting after getting married, a studio apartment certainly would not be enough. Renting a family-sized unit, however, was terrifyingly expensive. Since that was the case, he might as well save up and buy a small apartment first, then trade up for a larger home later.
After working for so many years, Otto had accumulated