Mariner and his wife were talking about things in general when a meaningful metaphor emerged:

Every animal on the planet has to pay cash. Humans, however, have a credit card and it is maxed out.

Humans have, to be succinct, trashed the planet and its resources without paying for it. Suddenly, overdue statements are confronting humans – bills for global warming, oligarchical hoarding, fractured social mores and irrational distribution of populations.

Got any cash?

Ancient Mariner