Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
So I have to vent about this. Other vent here so I figure it's my turn. We have a neighbor at our summer place. Their kids pretty much grew up in our camp during the summers. Our dog and their daughter grew up together and the cries when he saw her for the first time every spring was truly moving. The son, who is on the autistic sprectrum but drives, holds a job (dealer at the local casino) is like family to us. The parents are another story. The father is a beer alcoholic and a degenerate gambler. He used to live at the local OTB but now lives at the local casinos. Thank you, George Pataki. The mother still wants to party like she is 18. She has a good job, but lets the husband run the family finances. They have declared bankruptcy twice. Collection agencies are their only visitors. The wife seems to be oblivious to her husband's issues. The son still lives with the parents and he makes a decent living as a dealer. The Indian casino recognizes that he has issues, but is a very reliable person so they push him to do more than he would on his own.
They have a dog, an Aussie named Watson that is a great dog and who I've mentioned here in the past. He's the son's best friend and really his only friend. One of is issues is an inability to relate well to people his own age. He does much better with his elders. He was my shadow at the lake when he was growing up. Anyway, Watson is also part of our family and was buds with our dog when he was still with us. He's a great dog and greets me every day when I walk across the street to my barn for that day's project. He has a tin of cookies in the barn that he knows are his and comes skidding in on his ass with is paws up because that is the drill for him to get a cookie.
This week, Watson was diagnosed with cancer. It's a growth on his leg. The parents noticed it weeks ago but did nothing because of money issues. The son took him to the vet this week and got the diagnosis and the first thing out of the parent's mouth was "Money is tight, can we put off the treatment for a few weeks?" The son is tightly bonded with my wife and they talk almost every day on the phone. She just unload this news on my about 15 minutes ago. Casey has the money in his savings. But because he grew up in that house, he has poor financial habits and just bought a new car with a huge monthly payment. The vet estimated the cost to be about $1200.00. The parents are waffling and talking about putting the dog down because they really only care about themselves. So, I just called the son and told him to get the dog treated and whatever it cost, if he could not afford it, to have the vet call me and I'd pay whatever it took because Watson was my buddy too. Of course I knew that Watson is the son's best friend and we need to keep him around for as long as possible.
I just cannot imagine a parent, let alone both parents, putting their needs above that of their children. Actually, I think that the pet should get even higher priority because they did not ask to become part of that family.
I have never interfered in that family's personal issues. It's none of my business. But today, I had to take a stand. I know that I am taking the high road and I'm not worried about where the pieces land as long as Watson gets the best of attention from the vet and the son gets to keep his pal. If the parents have an issue and choose to take it up with me, they are going to see a side of me that they have never seen before. I hope that they don't. And given the spineless qualities that I've witnessed in the past, I suspect that the won't.
Sorry for the rant. But I have this feeling that you guys can relate to this kind of BS.
They have a dog, an Aussie named Watson that is a great dog and who I've mentioned here in the past. He's the son's best friend and really his only friend. One of is issues is an inability to relate well to people his own age. He does much better with his elders. He was my shadow at the lake when he was growing up. Anyway, Watson is also part of our family and was buds with our dog when he was still with us. He's a great dog and greets me every day when I walk across the street to my barn for that day's project. He has a tin of cookies in the barn that he knows are his and comes skidding in on his ass with is paws up because that is the drill for him to get a cookie.
This week, Watson was diagnosed with cancer. It's a growth on his leg. The parents noticed it weeks ago but did nothing because of money issues. The son took him to the vet this week and got the diagnosis and the first thing out of the parent's mouth was "Money is tight, can we put off the treatment for a few weeks?" The son is tightly bonded with my wife and they talk almost every day on the phone. She just unload this news on my about 15 minutes ago. Casey has the money in his savings. But because he grew up in that house, he has poor financial habits and just bought a new car with a huge monthly payment. The vet estimated the cost to be about $1200.00. The parents are waffling and talking about putting the dog down because they really only care about themselves. So, I just called the son and told him to get the dog treated and whatever it cost, if he could not afford it, to have the vet call me and I'd pay whatever it took because Watson was my buddy too. Of course I knew that Watson is the son's best friend and we need to keep him around for as long as possible.
I just cannot imagine a parent, let alone both parents, putting their needs above that of their children. Actually, I think that the pet should get even higher priority because they did not ask to become part of that family.
I have never interfered in that family's personal issues. It's none of my business. But today, I had to take a stand. I know that I am taking the high road and I'm not worried about where the pieces land as long as Watson gets the best of attention from the vet and the son gets to keep his pal. If the parents have an issue and choose to take it up with me, they are going to see a side of me that they have never seen before. I hope that they don't. And given the spineless qualities that I've witnessed in the past, I suspect that the won't.
Sorry for the rant. But I have this feeling that you guys can relate to this kind of BS.
