One of TB and my mutual friends said to him the other day, “I’m really impressed at how patient xxxx has been with [your unemployment]. I don’t think my wife would have been so nice.”
I know TB was quietly thanking me when he passed this along. Unfortunately for him, it caused me to look at this from another angle.
TB and Lanky have been friends since high school. Every job TB is handed, he somehow gets Lanky involved. TB’s brother had a client, Money-Bags, who wanted to start a company. TB and Money-Bags were introduced and RS was born. Soon enough, Lanky was folded in. TB and Lanky paid themselves handsomely. They didn’t develop a business plan or a budget and neither of them could sell water to the parched. So, one month before TB and I were married, Money-Bag’s $100,000 dried up.
Lady Lanky was pissed and it only got worse as time marched on and Lanky and TB pointed the finger at each other and Money-Bags and everyone else for the failure of RS. Lady Lanky had worked hard through grad school to become a speech therapist and now had to carry the financial load in her marriage.
TB and I have always been 50/50. Last week, I was cleaning the basement (as he played video games and napped – but that’s a whole different story) and stumbled upon his credit card statement. He owes $5,400. He long ago took the steep penalty and cashed out his only 401k. He now works 30 hours a week stocking shelves on the weekends and uses his inherited monthly oil royalties to pay his half of the bills.
I’ve surprised myself in that I haven’t reacted like Lady Lanky. In fact, with the exception of a few eruptions, I haven’t reacted at all – at least that I’ve recognized.
But I think it’s starting to boil up. TB has been unemployed for almost two years. There has to be an endpoint, but I can’t see the light behind me or the light ahead and I’m really restless.
reducerenewrecycle 