One of my favorite arias is the "Overcoat Aria" from the final act where Colline (the philosopher) is saying goodbye to the overcoat he is about to pawn to buy medicine for the dying Mimi.
I sometimes think that along with the music this particular opera has such a hold on me because I've "been there...done that".
While typing this I flashed on a scene in New Mexico where I explained to my landlord while paying the rent (on time) that up until the night before I had no idea how I was going to pay when someone dropped in to my house unexpectedly and bought a painting.
