A sad story ...

My best friend from childhood continues to live in a financially desperate situation. She pet sits for funds and gets well paid as her regulars are wealthy, but jobs don’t often come when you need them and fewer now with the economy so bad.

She lives in Chicago and was all set to visit two years ago and her ne’er-do-well son had a heart episode and that sent her into an emotional panic and she did not come. Since then, funds have not been available.

I know it is politically incorrect to say so, but I thought the best thing to happen to her is that he would succumb. Most of her financial distress is directly due to his living with her and spending whatever money comes in. He is 52 now and can’t hold a job. Failed marriages (my friend paid his alimony), wrecked cars, (my friend paid for repairs or another car), credit card mania (my friend pays his bills). And verbally abusive to her as well. I was talking with her on the phone recently and he was in the room – he heard her speak of a friend who had remarried. She opined that she wouldn’t be interested in another relationship and I heard him say, “You should date and spread your legs and get rid of all the fumes.” Gross. Please, folks, what is the attraction? I have learned to just listen. She is not open to suggestions.

She has double mortgaged her house and was thinking of a reverse mortgage and Ed, who knows a great deal about mortgages, was giving her advice and, guess what? She is not going to do it, because even though it will guarantee her a place to live for the rest of her life without paying back the other mortgage, just handling the taxes, she won’t have a house to leave to HER SON.

To give you an idea of how screwed up this guy is, his late father’s brother (do you have any idea how Greeks stick together?) will not give his nephew a job in any of his fabulously successful restaurants.

I wonder how he is going to manage on his own when he has to?

xx, Teal