Albatross
Well-Known Member
I don't know why it still amazes me. difficult child has been at his sober living house since February, a nice old house on the beach with a group of committed young men, reasonable rent and lots of support, working hard for a tree service but clearing around $600 a week for the effort. Not bad, considering he was homeless less than 6 months ago.
I met him yesterday to drop off some stuff and got bombarded with a bunch of badmouthing about...basically having to WORK...at ANYTHING. His boss (the one who hired him when he was down and out and pays him that $600 a week) is a greedy jerk and difficult child wants to "quit making the guy rich."
We have offered to lend him money to go back to school and I reminded him of that offer. He also has grants available. His response: "Yeah, like I have years and years to go to school to be a doctor or something so I can survive."
His clothes were mismatched (a fashion forward ensemble of lime green and black patterned swim trunks, brown and white striped polo shirt, blue high tops with no socks) and filthy, his body was filthy, and I'm thinking I might have smelled alcohol on his breath (though to be fair it might have just been his bad breath because it looks like he hasn't brushed his teeth in days). And he was on his way to an interview for an electrician's apprentice program.
And he was badmouthing how shallow women are, that none of them want to go out with him. I wanted to say, "Shallow is turning down a date because you don't drive a sports car, not because you smell bad and don't seem to care." But I didn't.
I did tell him that he might want to reschedule the interview and dress in a nice shirt and slacks and prepare a resume. Then I gave him a quick hug and sent him on his way.
I doubt if he did. He had already blown it off in his mind ("They pay their journeymen 17 bucks an hour! Like I'm gonna live on THAT for the next 4 years!").
I guess I don't need to ask how the interview went.
I don't know why it surprises me, but somehow it still does, every time. He just doesn't seem to grasp, or even comprehend, that people WORK IT, whatever IT is.
I met him yesterday to drop off some stuff and got bombarded with a bunch of badmouthing about...basically having to WORK...at ANYTHING. His boss (the one who hired him when he was down and out and pays him that $600 a week) is a greedy jerk and difficult child wants to "quit making the guy rich."
We have offered to lend him money to go back to school and I reminded him of that offer. He also has grants available. His response: "Yeah, like I have years and years to go to school to be a doctor or something so I can survive."
His clothes were mismatched (a fashion forward ensemble of lime green and black patterned swim trunks, brown and white striped polo shirt, blue high tops with no socks) and filthy, his body was filthy, and I'm thinking I might have smelled alcohol on his breath (though to be fair it might have just been his bad breath because it looks like he hasn't brushed his teeth in days). And he was on his way to an interview for an electrician's apprentice program.
And he was badmouthing how shallow women are, that none of them want to go out with him. I wanted to say, "Shallow is turning down a date because you don't drive a sports car, not because you smell bad and don't seem to care." But I didn't.
I did tell him that he might want to reschedule the interview and dress in a nice shirt and slacks and prepare a resume. Then I gave him a quick hug and sent him on his way.
I doubt if he did. He had already blown it off in his mind ("They pay their journeymen 17 bucks an hour! Like I'm gonna live on THAT for the next 4 years!").
I guess I don't need to ask how the interview went.
I don't know why it surprises me, but somehow it still does, every time. He just doesn't seem to grasp, or even comprehend, that people WORK IT, whatever IT is.