1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Sam, this is John, and we are 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: the founding hosts of Okay Storytime Podcasts. 3 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 2: And we have some foundational stories coming up for you. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: But the thing is, this foundation needs a little support 5 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: from these sponsors. So stick around two minutes and we'll 6 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: get into the episode. My parents abandoned me. Now they 7 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: demand my inheritance. 8 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 2: I demand you go back in time and don't abandon me. 9 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: So I was born when my mother and father were 10 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: only seventeen. It forced both my parents to drop out 11 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: of high school and each get a ged so they 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: could find work right away. My father especially was not 13 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: happy about this because he had dreams of playing football 14 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: in college. Instead, he had to work at a gas station. 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,599 Speaker 1: He said to my face many times that I ruined 16 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: his dream. By the way, this goes from I'm just 17 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: a neighbor on the r slash okay, sorry times, I'll 18 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: read it. So my mother hardly raised me at all, 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: and she had to work too. They had a cranky 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: old lady next door watched me most of the time. 21 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: She wasn't so bad. She gave me more attention than 22 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: my parents did. My father eventually managed to land a 23 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 1: better job as a manager due to his experience running 24 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: the gas station. It was right after that that my 25 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: mom got pregnant with my sister. Are they ready for that? 26 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: I don't know. 27 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, maybe they've had a little bit 28 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: of practice, right. 29 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: It was right after my mom got pregnant with my sister. 30 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: I was six when she was born. I wasn't exactly 31 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: shown much love before that, but once my sister came along, 32 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: it was made pretty obvious, even my six year old 33 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: self that I was unwanted. The only ones who seemed 34 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: to care were my paternal grandparents and somewhat my babysitter, 35 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: and they were more like my parents because they treated 36 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: me the way a little kid needed to be treated 37 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: and loved. We lived in a two bedroom apartment, and 38 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: as my sister got older, it went from me sharing 39 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: a bedroom with her to me kicked out of the 40 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: room entirely. I slept on the couch for two years, 41 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: and I barely had anything to my name than clothes, 42 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: school supplies, and an old game boy. When I was ten, 43 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: my parents decided they were going to move away, but 44 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: this move did not include me. I ended up actually 45 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: being fine with this, and my grandparents had agreed to 46 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: take me in and my life was instantly better. I 47 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: got my own room again, and my grandparents gifted me 48 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: a brand new N sixty four in nineteen ninety six. 49 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: That Christmas, I got a game Boy, a pocket game 50 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: Foot two, and there were a couple of kids my 51 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: age in the neighborhood. I got to hang out with. 52 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: We rode bikes, played video games, shot cans with pellet shooters, 53 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: built forts, and got dirty playing in the creek. You know, 54 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: stuff a normal kid would enjoy, you know, creeks. I 55 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: was finally happy. This time went on. I grew up 56 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: and eventually moved out, but later moved back in to 57 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: help my grandparents as they were getting old and living 58 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: off their retirement savings, so some rent money from me 59 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: went a long way in paying bills. My grandpa was 60 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: a kind of person who wanted to build a bomb 61 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: shelter during the Cold War, but never got around it. 62 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: He wanted to volunteer for the military in the sixties, 63 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: but was turned down due to a medical condition and 64 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: the fact that his eyesight was not great, so he 65 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: focused on saving whatever he thought he needed. He told 66 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: me many a time it was better to have something 67 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: and not need it than they needed to not have 68 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: it or our area suffered from numerous power outages and 69 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: winter due to heavy winds and storms, so having gasoline 70 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: and propane for heaters and generators was a must. All 71 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: these saving habits became my own as time went on. 72 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: So y'all are all preparing for the big one because 73 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: it was better to need this stuff rarely than not 74 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: have it at all. Of course, there was the hoa 75 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: bothering us, but that's his own other story. The problem 76 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: is about five years back, my grandma passed away suddenly, 77 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: and my grandpa was heartbroken. He also went about a 78 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: year and a half later. Pretty Much everything they owned 79 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: was willed to me. So Opie's not only rolling in 80 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: a creek, but rolling in cold, hard cash. I mean, dude, 81 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: if you have for a survival bunker, you got cash. 82 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 2: This guy has five hundred pounds of gold buried around 83 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: the country. And then there's a secret will in the 84 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 2: black light ink that it's like a trail that leads 85 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: to a map under the bedroom floorboards that leads you 86 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 2: to the gold. 87 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 1: Pretty Much everything they owned was willed to me. Their savings, 88 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: their house, their vehicles, their stuff. Everything. The house was 89 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: long paid off, and Grandpa knew how to keep up 90 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: with his maintenance. In fact, after Grandpa passed away kind 91 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: of doubled down on renovating the place. He had the 92 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: roof redone. The house was repainted by us inside and 93 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: begin out, and we fixed a lot of little things. 94 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: Grandpa's neighbor, Gorge, even came by to help redo the plumbing. 95 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: But ironically, the HOA was rather happy with these changes 96 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: because the house didn't look run down anymore. One morning, 97 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: I was fixing breakfasts and my grandpa never came downstairs. 98 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: You couldn't keep that man was bacon, probably with maybe 99 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: one of the reasons he didn't come downstairs. How was he, 100 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I know bacon ain't good, too 101 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: good for your heart. So I went to check on 102 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: him and he wasn't moving. I called nine one one 103 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: in the paramedics game, only to tell me he'd passed 104 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: in his sleep. My parents made Grandpa's funeral a crap show. 105 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: They didn't bother to show up for Grandma's they were 106 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: too busy, and at Grandpa's funeral they didn't seem to 107 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: grieve at all. My sister also showed up wearing a 108 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: brightly colored designer dress, which I wasn't happy about as 109 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: it was a church clothes only function, and I noticed 110 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: my parents repeatedly whispering to each other and glaring at 111 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: me whenever I looked at them. Come to find out 112 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 1: at the will reading that my parents knew that they 113 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: had been disinherited long ago for their treatment of me. 114 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: So Opie's now finding out that they had been disinherited 115 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: like ages ago. And they thought it was extremely unfair 116 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: that I got everything. They threatened to assume me to 117 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: contest the well that chance chump. I want them to 118 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: be far below the creek so they never have access 119 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 1: to the joy of a creek. I want them every 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: creek that they have in recent memory and long forgotten 121 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: memory to be removed. I wanted to be men in 122 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: black little camera thing that removes the memory. 123 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: I want to throw them in my creak and ride 124 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 2: him like a boogey board, you know, just strike for fun. 125 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: They threatened to assue me, and I repeated calls and 126 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: messages from my father, mother, and sister telling me I 127 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: needed to do the right thing and give my father 128 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: what was supposed to be his. I told them all 129 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: the flake off in far more unsavory words. My parents 130 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: end up taking me to court to challenge the will, 131 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: but the judge ruled in my favor after seeing the 132 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: will and hearing us both out, so I wasn't a 133 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: long drawn out legal battle. The judge even looked at 134 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: my parents with absolute disgust after seeing the will and 135 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: hearing about their mistreatment of me and my childhood. He 136 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: called my father a terrible parent, that my grandparents were 137 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 1: right just to disown him. My father just hung his 138 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: head in silence, but he made sure to stop me 139 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: outside the courtroom and tell me I was always the 140 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: biggest mistake of his life. 141 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 2: Hey, well, I guess what. You still don't get anything 142 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,559 Speaker 2: from the will? Stupid. I would hope at this point 143 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 2: that op is just like doesn't It's like, you're not 144 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 2: even my dad, and my dad was my grandpa. You 145 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: were just some trash that happened to raise. 146 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: And that if he could go back in time, he'd 147 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: make sure it never existed. He should have been a 148 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: football star, get out of here. Did imagine being that 149 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: much stuck in high school like man is living in 150 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: the past. Also, first of all, if you were really 151 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: that good in high school, maybe you would have gone 152 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: to like I don't know, D three D two college. 153 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: I mean, that's why this guy's so pathetic. 154 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: He thinks he was so much better. 155 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: He's taken what could have possibly been one of the 156 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: best things to ever happen in his life and for 157 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: just the fantasy, so that he can hold on to 158 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 2: the toxic fantasy that eating away at him like a 159 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 2: career rrosive acid. 160 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: He's absolutely delusional. 161 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: And instead you could have had a beautiful son. You're 162 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: just a pathetic loser. 163 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: He should have been a football star and said he 164 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: has to wear a name tag for a nine to five. 165 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: I told him that mistake or not, Grandpa and Grandma 166 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: could see what kind of nasty person he was. I 167 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: didn't ask to be born, and the only real love 168 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: I ever got was from my grandparents, and he was 169 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: no father of mine anymore. Snapso pee. I got a 170 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: few more threatening and harassing phone calls as well as 171 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: some letters for my parents, all demanding money, among other things. Yeah, freakin' right, 172 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: get out of here. But over time they stopped because 173 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: I completely stonewalled them, never responded to the emails or 174 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 1: the letters, and I stayed silent during the phone calls 175 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: a few times, I just left the phone sitting on 176 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: the counter with him ranting till they realized I wasn't listening. 177 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: I just had a great idea on how to make 178 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 2: him upset. You make a compilation, you send it to 179 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 2: your dad, right, and your dad, and it says his name, 180 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 2: college football highlights, and then it just cuts to thanks 181 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 2: for watching, because there's nothing there. It's just a black screen. 182 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: Yeah. Aside from not getting the house or money, my 183 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: parents seem particularly irked. They could not even get a 184 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: rise out of me. But I was prepared to go 185 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: to war against them and they do it, so in 186 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: the end, they just left me alone. From what I 187 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: know about looking at Facebook. The past decade, my sister 188 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: tried to get into modeling, got married, had two kids, 189 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: got divorced, and is currently unhappily working a job he 190 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: feels as beneath her. My mother currently works retail and 191 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: is also vocal about her disdain of it. Like my father, 192 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: she peaked in high school. She was a cheerleader back 193 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: then and even had an old uniform framed on the wall. 194 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: My father has pretty much had the same job for 195 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 1: twenty five years. He must have been good if he's 196 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: still doing it. By the way, if you're a good 197 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: little girl and boy, you should be listening to Okay 198 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: story Time the podcast wherever you get your podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 199 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: just search Okay Storytime and I'll pop right up. 200 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 2: It's right. You have forty seven days worth of Okay 201 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 2: Storytime to listen to. 202 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, twenty four hours, forty seven days. As for me, well, 203 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm in my late thirties now and I live pretty 204 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: much debt free in a nice neighborhood. I haven't really 205 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: had a girlfriend since high school, and I've had little 206 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: motivation to ever have another relationship. But loneliness gets to everyone, 207 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: so maybe I'll try finding someone soon. Not many are 208 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: in the financial position I'm in at my age, single, 209 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: paid off house, two vehicles, and a decent amount in 210 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 1: the bank. I guess I could aim to be a stepfather. 211 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: That might be more at my speed. And that is 212 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 1: where that ends. What's freaking go opee? Don't give a 213 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: manity that money. 214 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 2: If I was the judge hearing that, I'd be like, actually, 215 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: you're just gonna go to jail now. 216 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: The judge spanked them like you don't deserve to be parents. Well, 217 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: bo bo bo bop. 218 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 3: I refuse to lend my camper to my sister, even 219 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: though they desperately need it. You know what would fix 220 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 3: problems not going camping. My sister and her husband fell 221 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 3: on hard times because of the pandemic. They went from 222 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 3: renting a nice house having to rent a room from 223 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 3: a friend. It was supposed to be temporary, but they've 224 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 3: been in his house for an entire year and he 225 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 3: didn't have more than one room to spare to rent them. 226 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: By the way, this comes from Uncle Victor Throway on 227 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 3: the ar Slashoky storytime suffered it. I have a family 228 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,599 Speaker 3: of my own and my house is full, so I 229 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 3: don't want them living with me. But I have a 230 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 3: vintage camper trailer in my backyard, one of those small 231 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 3: ones they call a canned hand type. It's had various 232 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 3: repairs over the years, including redoing the flooring and ceiling, 233 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,439 Speaker 3: as well as getting a new axle, and it's in 234 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 3: pretty decent condition for being over fifty years old. 235 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 2: Wow. I take this. 236 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 3: Camper on yearly trips with friends and on camping trips 237 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 3: with my family, and I'm very anal about its upkeep. 238 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 3: My sister, though, has asked to borrow the camper numerous 239 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 3: times to put it in her friend's backyard so her 240 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 3: teenage son could have some privacy and use it as 241 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 3: a personal bedroom. But I know my nephew. He's destructive 242 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 3: with everything and would turn my camper into a total mess. 243 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 3: I imagine that he is so destructive that they want 244 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 3: to put him outside. They're buying him a doghouse. He's 245 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 3: not potty trained, and I'm certain they wouldn't want to 246 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 3: give it back whenever I need it because he'd already 247 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 3: be living in it. I know they can't simply go 248 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 3: out and get a camper off their own because ones 249 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 3: and usable conditions are not cheap, and right now they're 250 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 3: trying to save every extra time to get back on 251 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 3: their own feet. Recently, my sister has gotten our parents 252 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 3: involved and they think I should lend them the camper, 253 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 3: but I've refused. They won't let up and seem to 254 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 3: think that if they keep hounding me as a collective 255 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 3: that I'll give in. 256 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: But I haven't no way ho they. 257 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 3: Don't give in to them. But my wife is on 258 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 3: my side and has refused to let my sister and 259 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 3: brother in law in when I wasn't home. They have 260 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 3: a vehicle that can tow the camper. Oh, they could 261 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 3: steal it, so I don't trust them not to take 262 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 3: it if they can get in my backyard. My house 263 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 3: also has cameras, and my sister and brother in law 264 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 3: are aware of them. Now they say I'm the a 265 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 3: hole because I only use the camper a few times 266 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 3: a year and they need it now. But I worry 267 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 3: that they wouldn't want to give it back, much less 268 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 3: return it in the same condition. 269 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: They are going to squat in your camper and turn 270 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: it into a tornado ravaged town. 271 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 3: There's not even going to be pieces left of your camper. 272 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: There's going to be nothing left except maybe some like 273 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: little red sparkle shoes. 274 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 3: I firmly believe I'm in the right, but with my 275 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 3: parents and a sister constantly breathing down my neck, I 276 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 3: thought I'd come here for an unbiased opinion. Am I 277 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 3: the a hole for not lending them the camper and info? 278 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 3: I did suggest they get my. 279 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: Nephew a tent put them outside. 280 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 3: But they shot the idea down and called the tent temporary. 281 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 3: If anything, that just felt like another red flag to me. 282 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 3: And more info our parents don't live close anymore. They 283 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 3: moved several states away to retire a few years ago. 284 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 3: There is an update. What is wrong with this child? 285 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 3: Why didn't you need to make him live outside? Why 286 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 3: he is a tent even an option? 287 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: Because he's a Tasmanian devil kid. He literally has not 288 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 1: been trained. He's a fair old child that's foaming at 289 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 1: the mouth. That's like squatting over the sink to take 290 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: his thumps like this is not someone you want in 291 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: the civilized area. 292 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 3: I showed my sister and brother in law this post 293 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 3: after getting the verdict. My parents have seen it as well. 294 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 3: They're all very unhappy with me, but my parents have 295 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 3: backed off and say they won't bother me with it again. 296 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 3: I also spoke with my sister alone and went through 297 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 3: the rough estimates of what possible repairs to the camper 298 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 3: would be should my nephew damage it. My sister was 299 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 3: not happy to see those numbers. Then I called her 300 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 3: out on how they'd likely not want to return the 301 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 3: camper when I need it. But they also tried to 302 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 3: come to my house when I wasn't home to take 303 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 3: it without permission, and I told her I'd have no 304 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 3: problem calling the police if they ever try that. My 305 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 3: sister still tried to say her son needs the camper, 306 00:14:57,760 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 3: but I went through the comments on this post with her. 307 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 3: He became incredibly embarrassed and then got very angry. She left, 308 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 3: saying she won't bother me for the camper anymore, but 309 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 3: still stated she thinks I'm a jerk. I didn't reply 310 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 3: because I knew she was waiting to gaslight me. Just 311 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 3: waved her goodbye and she left. My brother in law 312 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 3: called me shortly after to yell at me, but he 313 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 3: had no leg to stand on other than they wanted. 314 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 3: I told him I'd contribute one hundred dollars per tent, 315 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 3: but they're on their own for the rest. They actually 316 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 3: agreed to the hundred dollars. So I guess my nephew 317 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 3: is getting a tent to live. He's living in a dent. 318 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 3: I'm sorry. If mom and dad bought you that you 319 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 3: can't live inside anymore and you have to live in 320 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 3: a tent, you're telling me that you wouldn't come on 321 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 3: this podcast ten years later and said that made me 322 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 3: live in a tent. You'd be shocked. I'd like to 323 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 3: thank everyone here for all their great advice. You gave 324 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 3: me what I needed to end this problem, and there 325 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 3: is enough to Hi everyone. A few days ago I 326 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 3: saw an animation of my old post, so I've come 327 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 3: here instead. I just want to say that things seemed 328 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 3: to get better after I made my sister and brother 329 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: in law give up on borrowing my camper. If they'd 330 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 3: gotten their hands on it, I likely wouldn't have gotten 331 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 3: back anytime soon short of getting the police or a 332 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 3: lawyer involved. They even try to show up at my 333 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 3: house to take the camper while I wasn't home. 334 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: They don't own the camper yet They're claiming that they 335 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: need the camper for the sun that they're putting in 336 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: a tent. 337 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, presumably the sun has a room in the house. 338 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 3: But I showed my last post to my sister, brother 339 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 3: in law, and parents and they were furious at me, 340 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 3: but let go of the fact that my camper was 341 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 3: not up for grabs out of sheer humiliation and embarrassment, 342 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 3: especially after I brought up the amount of money that 343 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 3: could end up being owed to me in repairs should 344 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 3: they or my nephew damage the camper. That part made 345 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 3: my sister extra sore at me. I thought we closed 346 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 3: the books on this whole mess, But it seems closing 347 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 3: one book only opened another one. Things went downhill very 348 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 3: badly a bit over a month after my original post, 349 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 3: so badly I couldn't believe it was really happening, and 350 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 3: yet it did. Many here may not believe it either, 351 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 3: but it did happen. Some wondered if my sister and 352 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 3: brother in law were going to actually use the hundred 353 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 3: dollars I gave them to get my nephew a tent 354 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 3: to have his own space in the backyard. I admit 355 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 3: I had my doubts, but they followed through on getting 356 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 3: him one. Our parents sent them some money as well, 357 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 3: and they got my nephew a good sized so that 358 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 3: he can have a cot to sleep on, and a 359 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 3: small amount of simple furniture. I personally donated the cot, 360 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 3: as I had an old coleman. I gave him a 361 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 3: folding camping chair too. The boy got electricity in the 362 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 3: tent to be an extension cord from the main house 363 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 3: that tent is hooked up. However, he frequently complained about 364 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 3: the heat during the day and only had a couple 365 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 3: of those little Swedo air conditioners that you can just 366 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 3: put water in to keep his tent cool. Why is 367 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 3: he there all day? Though, honestly, I doubt the situation 368 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 3: would have been any different if he had my camper, 369 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 3: because it can get pretty hot inside of it too. 370 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 3: Now on to that happened a bit over a month later, 371 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 3: My sister and brother in law were evicted from their 372 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 3: friend's house. Apparently, while there was trouble with my nephew 373 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 3: needing his own space and being messy and defiant, they 374 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 3: were having more trouble with the friend, who was also 375 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 3: their landlord. They tried to smooth things over by putting 376 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 3: their son in the tent so he wouldn't be in 377 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 3: the house much to avoid trouble. I suppose that might 378 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 3: have worked had my sister and brother in law not 379 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 3: been caught with illegal substances, and I mean the very 380 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 3: bad ones, the kind that uses their friends slash landlord 381 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 3: went into the room while they were away and found 382 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 3: their stash. That's why they were evicted. So it wasn't 383 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 3: even the Sun's fault. They're probably blaming all that stuff 384 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 3: on the sun. Suddenly it made sense why in two 385 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 3: years they couldn't have afforded a small apartment to move in, 386 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 3: despite both of them working full time, their extra cash 387 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 3: just went right to their habits instead of saving it 388 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 3: like they claimed to have been doing. Looking back, they 389 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 3: did look a bit more unhealthy at the time, but 390 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 3: I assumed it due distress. Now I feel really bad 391 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 3: for this, Like, not only does he have to live 392 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 3: in a tent, but you know parents are going through 393 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 3: a law as well, and not long after being outed, 394 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 3: their habits put them behind bars. People who are on 395 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 3: heavy substances can go very wild in an instant, and 396 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 3: that's exactly what happened when their friends lush landlord gave 397 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 3: them an eviction notice for having found the substances in 398 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 3: his house. My sister and brother in law both got 399 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 3: physical with him and he called the police. That scared 400 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 3: them and they locked themselves in the rented room. Meanwhile, 401 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 3: my nephew was blissfully unaware of what was happening, as 402 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 3: he was just damon alone in his tent. The friend 403 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,200 Speaker 3: landlord press charges and police soon arrested my sister and 404 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 3: brother in law because there were indoor security cameras that 405 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 3: caught the whole Altar Cay. I was very surprised about 406 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 3: what happened when I heard about it. I got a 407 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 3: call from the police station and I was asked to 408 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 3: take in my nephew since he could no longer stay 409 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 3: where he was. This was all aploy to get the 410 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 3: nephew in the camper. Since our parents are states away 411 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,480 Speaker 3: and living in a retirement community, they couldn't take him in, 412 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 3: so it was up to me, and I did so. 413 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 3: I wasn't particularly fond of my nephew, but I realized 414 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 3: his upbringing really did not help our relationship, nor did 415 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 3: the fact that my sister and I don't really get along. 416 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 3: We brought his tent over to my place and set 417 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: it up in my backyard. He's still living in it, 418 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 3: even though we cleared the attic out for him. Okay, 419 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 3: so you've offered him an actual place to live. 420 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: I mean it's an attic. Is that much better than 421 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: Harry Potter is a little under the cupboard? 422 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 3: But he says he likes the tent better because it 423 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 3: feels like his own little house where he can just 424 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 3: be himself. 425 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: So how good is the attic if the tent is better. 426 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 3: We've even added a mini fridge I bought used in 427 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 3: there for him so we could have cold drinks when 428 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 3: he wants them. Currently, we're still working on becoming my 429 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 3: nephew's permanent legal guardians. My sister and brother in law 430 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 3: are both facing heavy charges they attacked a man, resisted arrests, 431 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 3: and were in possession of illegal substances, though they've actually 432 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 3: been very cooperative, albeit while dealing with withdrawal from no 433 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 3: longer being able to self medicate. I've been able to 434 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 3: see my sister and she said she and her husband 435 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 3: were so out of it on the day it happened, 436 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 3: they don't even remember attacking their friend. I don't know 437 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 3: if they're faking memory loss to try and get a 438 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 3: lesser punishment, or if they really were that high, but 439 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 3: I suppose it doesn't matter. It changes nothing since there 440 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 3: was CCTV showing the attack. They're looking into possibly getting 441 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 3: a plea deal when they go to court in November, 442 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 3: but even with that, they may be in prison until 443 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 3: their son is over eighteen. At least, I didn't have 444 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 3: the heart to risk the foster system on my nephew. 445 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 3: My wife has had my back on this too, and 446 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 3: we've been working as a team. What I mean like, 447 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 3: the circumstances have changed so drastically from the beginning of 448 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 3: the story, and op's really really risen here. My sister 449 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 3: and brother in law have signed over the title to 450 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,360 Speaker 3: their suv to me, and the plan is to make 451 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 3: it my nephew's vehicle when he gets older, since he'll 452 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 3: be eighteen in three years, can sell it to get 453 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 3: him something that uses a lot less fuel. I already 454 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 3: had to pay to get the suv back from police impound. 455 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 3: That's money I know I'm never going to get back. 456 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 3: When my sister and brother in law get out of 457 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 3: prison in a few years, They're not exactly going to 458 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 3: have much to their name, so taking care of their 459 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 3: son and making sure he grows up in a better 460 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 3: environment feels like the least I can do. I mean, 461 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 3: you are doing a huge thing for this kid. For 462 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 3: those wondering about the substances, it wasn't entirely out of 463 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 3: left field. My sister was especially troubled in her teenage 464 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 3: years and struggled in her early twenties with the same substances. 465 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 3: He nearly got kicked out of college for it. Our 466 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 3: parents always dug her out of the mire and helped 467 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 3: her back on her feet. They even paid for her rehab. 468 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 3: We all thought she'd been cleaned for a long time, 469 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 3: but she admitted to me when I visited her in 470 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 3: jail that her husband also had the same addiction issues. 471 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 3: That's actually how they met, not in rehab, but in 472 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 3: a focus group after the rehab. They did not admit 473 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 3: this to any of us until recently. Why but with 474 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 3: the stress they faced in the past two years, falling 475 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 3: back into old habits became easy for them. I've tried 476 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 3: checking up on their former landlord to ask if he 477 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 3: was okay, for he wants nothing to do with my family. 478 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 3: He had some pretty offensive things to say when I 479 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 3: went over to gather my sister and brother in law stuff. 480 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 3: Once the police gave me the okay, and the man 481 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 3: actually threatened to pull a weapon on me while I 482 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 3: was carrying out boxes. He said he thinks my family 483 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 3: are all alike, a bunch of filthy, white trash sea words. 484 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: Oh that's not too good. 485 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 3: So I don't feel as sorry for him as I did, 486 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 3: since he's a pretty big jern. My nephew also confirmed this. 487 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 3: My kids weren't exactly receptive to their cousin being around them. 488 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 3: There's a bit of an age gap between them, and 489 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 3: they just don't relate to one another. And while my 490 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 3: nephew's messy, we make him clean his tent once a week, 491 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 3: and we make him shower at least two to three 492 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 3: times a week. 493 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: I just think it's so weird that he's cleaning his tent. 494 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 3: We live in a warmer climate, but now that the 495 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 3: seasons are changing, it's cooling down a little bit to 496 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,360 Speaker 3: where he says the tent isn't so bad. He's got 497 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 3: a tablet, a laptop, a DVD player, and a Nintendo 498 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 3: Switch to occupy his time. 499 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 2: Everything a growing boy needs right there. 500 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 3: But we keep these things in the house whenever my 501 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 3: nephew is at home. It's way easier to steal out 502 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 3: of a tent than a house. After all, considering how 503 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 3: angry my nephew was before, he rarely shows his temper. Now, yes, 504 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 3: he makes it hard to get him to do his chores, 505 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 3: but as a whole, he's shown more improvement in a 506 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 3: couple months than I saw in three years. Of course, 507 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 3: I mean he's not around parents who are actively like 508 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 3: using substances. 509 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: I'm surprised he's turned out as good as he has. 510 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 3: He is extremely grateful, but also very solitary. We give 511 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,479 Speaker 3: him a space most of the time, and I make 512 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 3: sure my kids don't bother him either. He's going through 513 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 3: a lot right now. My nephew plays a lot of 514 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 3: Zelda and Fortnite. At least those are two of the 515 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 3: games he plays that I know of. My kids love 516 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 3: those games too. We've also given my nephew the old 517 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 3: ten speed road bike I used to use years ago. 518 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 3: He rides at to and from school, as we live 519 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 3: about a mile away from the low high school. Thus far, 520 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 3: most of the drama from him has been school related. 521 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 3: He had to change to a different high school and 522 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 3: make new friends, which he wasn't particularly happy about. He 523 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:11,479 Speaker 3: really doesn't like doing his homework and he's been fighting 524 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 3: with his teachers, but that's a problem many parents face 525 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 3: on the regular. He says. He's made a few new friends, though, 526 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 3: and I'm thankful for that. We're taking things one step 527 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:23,679 Speaker 3: at a time, and so far it's slowly been getting better. 528 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 3: My nephew has also talked of one day getting a 529 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 3: part time job. For the record, he brought this up, 530 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 3: how is. 531 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: He such a good kid being raised by like addicts 532 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: that seem to not be taking care of him at all? Like, Yeah, 533 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: he lives in a tent. He is incredibly well adjusted 534 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: for being a tent child. 535 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 3: For the record, he brought this up, not me or 536 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 3: my wife. He says he needs to be ready to 537 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 3: be independent when he's eighteen. But we wouldn't kick him 538 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 3: out just for getting older. He's one of our kids 539 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:54,199 Speaker 3: now too. After all, what a wild turn. You know what, 540 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 3: if this story doesn't end with this kid getting the camper, 541 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 3: I don't want it. 542 00:25:58,240 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: You just need to win. I don't know if he 543 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: even he wants the camper. I think he likes his tent. 544 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 3: How funny would it be if oh, he's like, hey, 545 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 3: you know what, like I thought you're growing up, thought 546 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 3: the camper would be great, And the son's like, thank 547 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 3: you so much, And he gets in the camper and 548 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 3: he dries off, and the parents like they like jump 549 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 3: out of the bushes and they're like pranked, and they 550 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 3: steal the camper, and it's all been like a ploy. 551 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: I just want to give the kid a bigger tent. 552 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: I think that's what he means. 553 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 3: I think he needs a room maybe, But if he's 554 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 3: willing to work hard and move on to working full 555 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 3: time or going to college, we'll encourage him. I just 556 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 3: don't want him ending up like either of his parents. 557 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 3: He seems to be far better off mentally without their influence. 558 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 3: Now anyway, it makes me regret not wanting to take 559 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 3: him in sooner. But I didn't know how bad things 560 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 3: really were to think this all started because my sister 561 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 3: and brother in law wanted my camper for their son. 562 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 3: And those of you who said they potentially wanted it 563 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 3: to skip down if they'd gotten a hold of it, 564 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 3: you may very well have been right. They were on 565 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 3: thin ice with their landlord and falling even deeper into 566 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 3: substance use. Thus far, though, my has been completely indifferent 567 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 3: to the camper, even though his tent is practically right 568 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 3: next to. He says, as long as he has his 569 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 3: own space, he's fine. Reminds me of what I was 570 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 3: his age. I enjoyed hanging out and spending nights in 571 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 3: the old shed my parents made into a playhouse for 572 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 3: me and my sister when we were kids. 573 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: You know what, Yeah, is a tent that much different 574 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: than a treehouse? 575 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,640 Speaker 3: Yes, because he's living full time in this. 576 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: Every kid's eighties dream is to live full time in 577 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: a treehouse. 578 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 2: You know, I'm sorry? 579 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:30,199 Speaker 3: Did he read the box car kids, and he was like, 580 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 3: that's what I want. 581 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 1: Maybe it sounds like he's a very outdoorsy young. 582 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 3: Lad, but we are still required to have a room 583 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 3: at the ready for my nephew whenever a social worker 584 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 3: checks up on us. 585 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: So it's like, you're worried about a social worker seeing 586 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: this kid's tent and taking him away from you. 587 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 3: Imagine the freaking social worker comes and sees his kid 588 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 3: in a tent and they're like, no, no, no, no, no, no. 589 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 3: He loves his tent. He's swear he loves his tent. 590 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 3: He has the bulk of his stuff in the attic room, 591 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 3: but chooses to stay in the tent, which the social 592 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 3: worker didn't seem to mind since it was my nephew's 593 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 3: preferred place to hang out so long as an actual 594 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 3: room was available to him. We also have a seven 595 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 3: foot tall privacy fence all around the backyard and cameras too. 596 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 3: That helps my nephew feel safe back there at least, 597 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 3: so for now, I think we have it all covered. 598 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 2: By the way. 599 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 3: You can have us covered by listening to full episodes 600 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 3: with stories just like this. Just go to Okay story 601 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 3: Time on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or your favorite podcast app 602 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 3: and there is a little bit left to this story, 603 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 3: so we're just gonna run it. 604 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 1: I say, we roll straight on into it. 605 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 3: I probably won't update again, as it's pretty much a 606 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 3: guarantee my sister and brother in law are going. 607 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: To be locked up for a few years. 608 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 3: Our parents are especially mad at them about it, and 609 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 3: have thanked me to no end for taking my nephew in. 610 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 3: They want to fly over to visit this Christmas so 611 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 3: we can all spend time as a big family for 612 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 3: the first time since before the pandemic. And before I go, 613 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 3: I know some are probably going to ask where's brother 614 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 3: in law's family and all of this goodn't they out? 615 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 3: Why didn't my sister and brother in law ask them 616 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 3: for help? Well, the answer is they couldn't. I don't 617 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 3: know a lot. But brother in law spent the latter 618 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 3: half of his own childhood in the foster system. His 619 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 3: family aren't in his life. I don't know who they 620 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 3: are or where they are. He hated them so much 621 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 3: that he actually took my family name when he married 622 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 3: my sister. So they aren't involved whatsoever with my nephew. 623 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 3: And that is the end of this story. 624 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: John. Here we're gonna get back to this juicy story, 625 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: but a quick three minute break of aths from our sponsors. 626 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 3: I canceled the family cruise because my family doesn't appreciate me. 627 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 2: Oh, ain't no cruise. You're cruising for a bruising Now 628 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 2: there we go. 629 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 3: Ah, So my parents wanted to do a cruise for 630 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 3: the holidays. They invited me twenty five female, my boyfriend 631 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 3: twenty seven male, my brother twenty eight male, and his 632 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 3: girlfriend twenty six female. My brother, let's call him James 633 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 3: has always been the golden child. Some backstory. By the way, 634 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 3: this comes from Throwaway Vaka and if you want to 635 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 3: submit your stories, go to our slash Showkay story time 636 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 3: suppered it. So back in high school when James was 637 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 3: discovered to be selling pills, he was just going through 638 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 3: a phase. Meanwhile, when I got caught smoking weed, my 639 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,480 Speaker 3: parents threatened to kick me out. James lost his scholarship 640 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 3: and dropped out of college three different times, but he's 641 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 3: still perfect. I graduated a semester late and I didn't 642 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 3: try hard enough. James still lives in the state where 643 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 3: he attended college, and I live in my home state 644 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 3: near my parents. He doesn't work, he's not currently in school. 645 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 3: My parents buy him flights all the time to come visit, 646 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 3: but don't buy me a flight to go see him 647 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 3: or go anywhere else. My parents send him money for 648 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 3: rent and life necessities. He bought a two thousand dollars 649 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 3: dog recently with that money. When I got my first 650 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 3: big job at age twenty two, my parents immediately kicked 651 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 3: me off their insurance since I had the option of benefits. 652 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 3: James was on their insurance until he turned twenty six, 653 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 3: which is when you know, that's what if you could 654 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 3: stay on the insurance might as well. Last year, I 655 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 3: got laid off and move back in with my parents 656 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 3: to save money. When I got my new job, my 657 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 3: parents told me I needed to pay ten thousand dollars 658 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 3: in back rent whoa whoa, which was never discussed previously. 659 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 3: I did finish paying it off and recently moved in 660 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 3: with my boyfriend. This has been a pattern my whole life. 661 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 3: James gets everything handed him and I have to work 662 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 3: my butt off. So now to the cruse. My parents 663 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 3: said they wanted to do this and bought tickets for themselves, 664 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 3: James and his girlfriend. They told me to get my 665 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 3: own tickets since I have a well paying job. I 666 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 3: was super upset and told them it was a fair 667 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:34,960 Speaker 3: that I was the only one who had to buy 668 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,720 Speaker 3: their own ticket. My boyfriend couldn't come due to holiday 669 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 3: plans with his own family. My parents said I was 670 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 3: acting spoiled and that green wasn't a good look on me. 671 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 3: I am so tired of hearing that phrase. At this point, 672 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 3: they said, it's not like I had to get a 673 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 3: nice room since we'd be outside at the majority of 674 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 3: the time anyway, which is true. But then why get 675 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 3: james an ice room. I decided I had enough and 676 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 3: I wasn't going. But here's where I maybe the a 677 00:31:58,600 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 3: hole I always love. 678 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: That is me. 679 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 3: I did something wrong. I let them continue thinking I 680 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 3: was for months. Then on the night before they left, 681 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 3: they said to get to their house by eight am 682 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 3: so we could start the drive to the port at 683 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 3: a thirty. That day, they start messaging me asking where 684 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 3: I am. Oh, I texted them, since you didn't want 685 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 3: to put the effort in to have me join you, 686 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 3: I will be attending my boyfriend's Thanksgiving instead. Have a 687 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 3: nice trip with your favorite child. Then I muted the chat. 688 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 3: My job dang man. I talked to some friends about this, 689 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 3: and some said it was petty of me to cancel 690 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 3: with no warning, and others said I should have sucked 691 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 3: it up and gone since I would have had fun 692 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 3: when I got there. They've been on the cruise for 693 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 3: a couple days now, and I'm starting to regret how 694 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 3: I handled things. Yeah, I probably would have fun, and 695 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 3: it's not like I couldn't afford the ticket. I also 696 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 3: could have handled the delivery better. But at the same time, 697 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 3: I'm so sick of them treating me like this. So 698 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 3: am I the a hole for canceling on our family vacation? No, 699 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 3: but there is an update, obviously. I'll start with the 700 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 3: ten K and background. To me, the number itself wasn't 701 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 3: the issue. I mean, yeah, it's definitely a bit higher 702 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 3: than I would have liked, but not completely unreasonable for 703 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 3: the amount of time I lived there. It's not like 704 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 3: I would have been able to rent my own place 705 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 3: at a cheaper price, and if I hadn't moved in 706 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 3: with them, I would have completely depleted my savings and 707 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 3: probably gone into debt. 708 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 2: Hmmm. I'm wondering now, did the parents need that money 709 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 2: for something, you know? Or whilfe Ooh, like I we 710 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 2: want that ten K so we can spend it on 711 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 2: your brother SPA, so we can take your brother to 712 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 2: the moon. 713 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 3: While I was laid off and looking for a new 714 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 3: job in my field, I had a serving job and 715 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 3: did some freelance writing work as well, so I was 716 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 3: contributing to groceries but not paying rent or utilities. Because 717 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 3: of that, I understood why my parents wanted help once 718 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 3: I was in a position to do so. I just 719 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 3: wish they had defined that expectation from the beginning instead 720 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 3: of springing on me as a surprise. I paid it 721 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 3: because I know it was an inconvenience for my parents 722 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 3: to have me stay so long, especially during some home renovations. 723 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 3: I know it would have turned into a whole big issue, 724 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 3: and it just felt easier to pay the money. Yes, 725 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 3: I probably have some pushover tendencies that I need to address. Luckily, 726 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 3: I'm in a well paying field. I'm a technical writer, 727 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 3: so once I got my new position, I was able 728 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 3: to pay my parents back in about six months while 729 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,760 Speaker 3: also saving up to move out. That's impressive. The timeline 730 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 3: for anyone curious is I was laid off in January 731 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 3: of last year. I used my savings to pay rent 732 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 3: until my lease was up in June, and then I 733 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 3: moved in with my parents. I lived with my parents 734 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,359 Speaker 3: from June of last year till September of this year, 735 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,279 Speaker 3: when I moved in with my boyfriend. I got my 736 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,280 Speaker 3: current job in May, which is when my parents told 737 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 3: me that they wanted back rent and rent moving forward 738 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 3: until I moved out. They said it was to help 739 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 3: motivate me to get back on my feet, so not 740 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 3: all of it was back rent technically, but I just 741 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 3: use that term to try and be more concise. 742 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 2: See now, I'd be okay with that if they were 743 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 2: just upfront, yeah, but then they try to do the oh, 744 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 2: this is actually just to motivate you. 745 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 3: It's like, no, it's not because you want the money. 746 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 2: Right. 747 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 3: By the time I moved out, the total amount I 748 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 3: owed had added up to the ten K, and I 749 00:34:57,239 --> 00:34:59,839 Speaker 3: had already paid off most of it. I also saw 750 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 3: a couple of comments about pursuing legal action against my parents, 751 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 3: but I don't think that's worth it or even possible. 752 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 2: I agree with that. 753 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 3: I don't. Yeah, that's a lot. I mean, that's gonna 754 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 3: cost you more money. 755 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 2: And it's gonna make everything stickier, and it's gonna make 756 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 2: everything messier. 757 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 3: Situation. Yeah, we never had a written contract, and I 758 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,719 Speaker 3: didn't argue against paying it. I didn't want them to 759 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:19,600 Speaker 3: be able to hold that over me. Going through any 760 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:21,919 Speaker 3: legal issue would just dredge the whole thing up again, 761 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 3: and I'd rather not do that. It's paid now, so 762 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,960 Speaker 3: at least it's over with. In the future, I know 763 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:29,800 Speaker 3: I should probably be less willing to give into their demands. 764 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 3: It's just difficult when things have been this way my 765 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 3: whole life, and my experiences have shown me that any 766 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 3: refusal paints me as ungrateful in their eyes. I try 767 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:40,759 Speaker 3: so hard to be perfect because I just want them 768 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:42,799 Speaker 3: to treat me with the same care and support as 769 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:45,360 Speaker 3: they do with James. The worst part is James and 770 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 3: I were super close growing up. When we were kids, 771 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 3: we hung out all the time. He was the one 772 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 3: who taught me how to ride a bike. He stood 773 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 3: up for me when I was getting bullied. I don't 774 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,800 Speaker 3: think he's a bad person at all. He just never 775 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 3: learned to stand on his own two feet. Our relationship 776 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 3: is stray now because he doesn't get why I have 777 00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 3: issues with our parents. I missed the brother I would 778 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 3: stay up playing RuneScape with. I'm pretty sure he fully 779 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,439 Speaker 3: buys into the idea that he needs extra help since 780 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,400 Speaker 3: he's always gotten it, he doesn't know how to do 781 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 3: or expect anything else. At least, he's still nice to me, 782 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 3: but he just refuses to see the differences and how 783 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,399 Speaker 3: we're treated, and he basically wants me to just suck 784 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:20,800 Speaker 3: it up and be part of the family. 785 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:21,560 Speaker 2: Dang. 786 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,279 Speaker 3: Sadly, all his support just disappeared once it came to 787 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,320 Speaker 3: issues with our parents. I hope James gets some distance 788 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,439 Speaker 3: from them one day and we can reconnect. I don't 789 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:32,160 Speaker 3: want our relationship to keep suffering because of us. Sorry 790 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 3: to get sappy for a second, but back to the comments. 791 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 3: Another thing I saw some people ask is why I 792 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:39,880 Speaker 3: didn't tell them sooner that I was canceling. I know 793 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 3: that was a petty move on my part, but had 794 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 3: I told them earlier, they would have spent those months 795 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:46,359 Speaker 3: trying to convince me to go and insulting me if 796 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:49,360 Speaker 3: I continued to refuse. It seemed like such a hassle, 797 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,399 Speaker 3: and the way I did it was much easier. And yeah, 798 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,399 Speaker 3: maybe this is crappy of me, but I did get 799 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:55,640 Speaker 3: some satisfaction out of it. It felt good to treat 800 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 3: them at the same level they treat me. 801 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,399 Speaker 2: It's fair. We're all human. Yeah, we're only human. We're 802 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:01,200 Speaker 2: only human. 803 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 3: Besides, it's not like it actually affected their trip. They 804 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,160 Speaker 3: still went just without. 805 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:07,880 Speaker 2: Me, right exactly. 806 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:09,919 Speaker 3: Many of the comments brought up the idea of going 807 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:12,680 Speaker 3: low contact or no contact with my family, and it 808 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 3: is something I've now been considering. My boyfriend is supportive 809 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 3: of this decision since he has seen firsthand how my 810 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 3: parents are. I'm sure my friends will be supportive as 811 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 3: well if I explained the full story. Most of them 812 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 3: have never met my parents, and I've tried not to 813 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 3: get into the whole family dynamic with my friends since 814 00:37:28,719 --> 00:37:30,879 Speaker 3: it's depressing for me to talk about, and I also 815 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:33,200 Speaker 3: didn't want to come off as just whining all the time. 816 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,439 Speaker 3: Prior to this, they've only heard some small complaints here 817 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 3: and there. With all of that out of the way, 818 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:43,840 Speaker 3: here's what happened since my last post. Wow, we have 819 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 3: any gotten to the new stuff? Yeah? Well, before we 820 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:49,360 Speaker 3: get into what happened, I just want to say it's 821 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 3: kind of sad because it seems like a Piana brother 822 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:53,359 Speaker 3: too of a good relationship. It's just the way that 823 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 3: the parents treat everyone use what's kind of driving this wedge? 824 00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 2: The parents are failing. 825 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 3: My boyfriend and I got to the cabin late Wednesday night. 826 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 3: I gave his mother a bouquet of her favorite flowers, 827 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 3: and she loved them. We had a quick glass of 828 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:08,759 Speaker 3: wine while talking with his family before heading to bed. 829 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 3: I was still a bit uncertain of my decision, so 830 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 3: I probably wasn't as peppy as usual, but they didn't 831 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:16,160 Speaker 3: seem to mind. That night, I made a promise to 832 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:18,760 Speaker 3: myself that I would put my own family issues aside 833 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 3: during the trip and just focus on having a good 834 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 3: time with my boyfriend's family, who has always been so 835 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,799 Speaker 3: gracious to me. On Thursday, we woke up early and 836 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,319 Speaker 3: helped his mom with some preparation for the food and 837 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 3: set the table. After we played some cornall with his 838 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,719 Speaker 3: cousins and sadly lost due to my complete lack of 839 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:38,279 Speaker 3: athletic ability bummer. The Thanksgiving meal itself was delicious, and 840 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:40,879 Speaker 3: his mom is such a great cook. Everyone was very 841 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:43,239 Speaker 3: sweet to me and made me feel so welcome as 842 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 3: part of the family, which helped me feel much better 843 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 3: about my decision to spend the holidays with them. Yeah, 844 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,040 Speaker 3: I mean, your parents would probably be like, it looks 845 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 3: so green. Opee, are you seasick or just jealous? 846 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:57,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? Not not a good dynamic you've got over there. 847 00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,959 Speaker 3: Towards the end of the night, his mom even said 848 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,360 Speaker 3: to me that she knows it has ultimately up to 849 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 3: my boyfriend, but she hopes I can join the family 850 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 3: for real someday. I told her I would be honored 851 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,399 Speaker 3: if that happens, and we hugged. I really do hope 852 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 3: it will. I love my boyfriend so much and I 853 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:13,319 Speaker 3: want to spend the rest of my life with him. 854 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,439 Speaker 3: His family is also an incredible bonus. I had such 855 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 3: a wonderful time on Thanksgiving and enjoyed the rest of 856 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 3: the weekend as well. We went on some great hikes, 857 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:24,640 Speaker 3: hung around by the bonfire, played board games, and watched movies. 858 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:27,200 Speaker 3: My boyfriend also spent some time looking after his little 859 00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 3: nephew and watching them play legos together definitely gave me 860 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:34,439 Speaker 3: some slight baby fever. Cute. No, that is not something 861 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:35,879 Speaker 3: I want to act on for at least a couple 862 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 3: of years. That's like the ongoing I don't know that's 863 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 3: my thing. I'm like, that's so cute. I don't want 864 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,240 Speaker 3: a baby right now. But they're adorable, They're so cute. 865 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 3: I just wanted I just want a loaner, though, You 866 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:48,399 Speaker 3: just want a loader. Give me one for a day, 867 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 3: maybe a week. 868 00:39:49,719 --> 00:39:51,239 Speaker 2: Let me say, and then I'll give it back, give 869 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:53,240 Speaker 2: it right back to back to the factory. 870 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:53,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 871 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 3: We got back yesterday afternoon, and I am already missing everything. 872 00:39:57,800 --> 00:40:00,760 Speaker 3: It was genuinely a blast, and there was no family drama, 873 00:40:00,840 --> 00:40:04,200 Speaker 3: which made my family seem like even more of a mess. Dang, 874 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 3: I feel like I'm rambling a bit now. Honestly, I 875 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 3: probably have been the whole time. But I'm just so 876 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:11,719 Speaker 3: excited to share what a good time I had during 877 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:15,400 Speaker 3: the holiday and that I definitely made the right decisions. Unfortunately, 878 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 3: this update isn't entirely positive. Dang, I wish it could 879 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,879 Speaker 3: be me too, Dang. So close. My parents reached out 880 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 3: last night and they still weren't happy about my choice. 881 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:28,280 Speaker 2: Well, of course they aren't. They're never happy about anything 882 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 2: that you do and giving them money. 883 00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, if you're giving them ten K, they might be 884 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:36,399 Speaker 3: kind of at a baseline happiness. Yeah, they're like they 885 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:38,600 Speaker 3: were like, all right, you didn't okay, I guess. 886 00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,919 Speaker 2: We finally just feel average. 887 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 3: I guess the sea air and unlimited drinks didn't do 888 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:46,640 Speaker 3: enough to relax them. My dad sent a passive aggressive 889 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,320 Speaker 3: text of cruise pictures with a message that said, sad 890 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 3: that you chose not to be with your family in 891 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,480 Speaker 3: such beautiful places. And I sent back a picture for 892 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:56,719 Speaker 3: my trip with my boyfriend's family and said, looks like 893 00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 3: you guys had a good time. So did we. Then 894 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:01,560 Speaker 3: my mom called and said she hoped I regretted missing 895 00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 3: out on a great family vacation and spoiling their memory 896 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:06,720 Speaker 3: due to a petty grudge against my brother. 897 00:41:06,960 --> 00:41:07,960 Speaker 2: What see, they're. 898 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 3: They're even like, they're even like creating this grudge. 899 00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, it doesn't exact blaming you for everything, even when 900 00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:17,400 Speaker 2: you weren't on the trip. Yeah, they're like you ruined 901 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:19,520 Speaker 2: the trip but also wasn't even there. 902 00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:21,879 Speaker 3: Yeah, and Opie doesn't have a grudge against her brother. 903 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,359 Speaker 3: I feel like they're they're making this thing up. 904 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:26,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, there are the watches against you. 905 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 3: You guys. I told her Maya, she wasn't with James 906 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:32,280 Speaker 3: there we go, but rather their unfair preferential treatment between 907 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:33,960 Speaker 3: the two of us. My mom said that I was 908 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,320 Speaker 3: the one being unfair by comparing our situation, since James 909 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:39,880 Speaker 3: needs help while he figures out his direction life and 910 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:42,480 Speaker 3: I've always been much more independent. I told her the 911 00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:44,840 Speaker 3: only reason that's true is because they never allowed me 912 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 3: to depend on that. She said she wasn't going to 913 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:49,920 Speaker 3: apologize for raising a self sufficient daughter, and that I 914 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:52,959 Speaker 3: should either grow up and be grateful for everything they've done, 915 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 3: or leave them alone for good and break their hearts 916 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,320 Speaker 3: all at once instead of doing it peace by peace. 917 00:41:58,520 --> 00:42:00,680 Speaker 2: That's so ridiculous, this dude. 918 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:02,799 Speaker 3: She called me cruel for dangling the hope of a 919 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:05,640 Speaker 3: wonderful holiday only to snatch it away at the last second, 920 00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:08,160 Speaker 3: even though they seemed to be just fine without me there, 921 00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 3: based on the photos my dad sent and what they 922 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:13,880 Speaker 3: posted on social media exactly, they don't care. They just 923 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:15,600 Speaker 3: want to make you feel bad thee. 924 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, you're not the cornerstone of their ability to enjoy 925 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:19,160 Speaker 2: a cruise. 926 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 3: I was really upset by this point and pointed out 927 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:24,680 Speaker 3: multiple examples of how they prioritized James, just hoping I 928 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:27,239 Speaker 3: could finally make her understand how growing up like this 929 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 3: has affected me. My mom said, I had a lot 930 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,040 Speaker 3: of nerve to put their parenting under a microscope, and 931 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:34,799 Speaker 3: I have no children myself, and I've never had to 932 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 3: make tough decisions. I had enough at the conversation and said, 933 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:40,399 Speaker 3: I guess I'll just leave you guys alone like you want, 934 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:43,040 Speaker 3: since I'll never be enough for this family anyway. I 935 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:46,080 Speaker 3: hung up and started crying, but my boyfriend was really 936 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,320 Speaker 3: supportive as always, and we spent the rest of the 937 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:51,080 Speaker 3: night eating ice cream and watching The Hunger Games to 938 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:53,280 Speaker 3: cheer me up. I freaking love the Hunger Games. 939 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:54,279 Speaker 2: I volunteer. 940 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:57,520 Speaker 3: I freaking love that movies sees that all serious. That 941 00:42:57,680 --> 00:43:02,919 Speaker 3: series is such a well done adaptation. Anyway, I absolutely 942 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:05,359 Speaker 3: love the series, and I'm so excited for Hammich's movie 943 00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:06,960 Speaker 3: to come out. It was weird to go back to 944 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,800 Speaker 3: work today after everything and act like nothing was the matter, 945 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:12,120 Speaker 3: but I think it was also a good distraction, since 946 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 3: I chose my boyfriend's holiday plans instead of my famili's. 947 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:18,760 Speaker 3: I actually came back feeling mostly refreshed besides the events 948 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:22,000 Speaker 3: of last night, instead of drained like I most likely 949 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 3: would have been after the cruise. I haven't heard anything 950 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:26,720 Speaker 3: more from my parents yet, but I have a feeling 951 00:43:26,719 --> 00:43:29,160 Speaker 3: they're just bluffing. I'm sure once they need something they'll 952 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:32,080 Speaker 3: reach out, or they'll probably try and smooth things over 953 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:34,840 Speaker 3: by Christmas so they don't have to explain the situation 954 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,839 Speaker 3: to our extended family. I haven't decided yet if I'll 955 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:40,239 Speaker 3: be open to reconciling. On one hand, I know I 956 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:42,480 Speaker 3: deserve better than to be treated as a burden and 957 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,240 Speaker 3: an afterthought while doing so much for them. I'm tired 958 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 3: of trying to live up to their expectations, and I'm 959 00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 3: not optimistic about their behavior ever changing. But on the 960 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:52,920 Speaker 3: other hand, they are my family, and it's just so 961 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:55,120 Speaker 3: difficult to fully walk away. I just want to feel 962 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 3: the loved acceptance for my own family that I get 963 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,840 Speaker 3: from my boyfriend's family. Why is it so hard for 964 00:44:00,239 --> 00:44:02,640 Speaker 3: to treat me like I matter? Because they're bad parents. 965 00:44:03,440 --> 00:44:05,560 Speaker 3: At the end of the day, they're bad complicated. Yeah, 966 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 3: that's not your faults, and they're going to make you 967 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:09,320 Speaker 3: feel like it's your fault, but at the end of 968 00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 3: the day, it is not. I'm also worried that if 969 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:13,560 Speaker 3: I don't make nice with them, they'll twist the story 970 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:16,000 Speaker 3: to make me seem like the problem, and my extended 971 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:18,560 Speaker 3: family will be mad at me too. They definitely are 972 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:21,760 Speaker 3: going to do that for sure. Yeah, there are people 973 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:23,960 Speaker 3: I like within my family, but my parents have a 974 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:26,799 Speaker 3: lot of influence over everyone's opinions. I don't know if 975 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:28,759 Speaker 3: it's worth putting up with them to at least keep 976 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:30,759 Speaker 3: some ties to my family, or if it would be 977 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:33,040 Speaker 3: better to accept the loss and move on from my 978 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:36,320 Speaker 3: dynamic where I am clearly not appreciated. I want to 979 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:38,520 Speaker 3: keep my brother at least, but maybe I'm just holding 980 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:41,560 Speaker 3: onto the past and that version of James doesn't exist anymore. 981 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:43,600 Speaker 3: I hope that's not true. I just don't know how 982 00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:45,719 Speaker 3: to get through to him. Since he's so brainwashed by 983 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 3: my parents and thinks they can do no wrong. I'm 984 00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:50,440 Speaker 3: not sure if I'll ever truly get. 985 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:52,279 Speaker 2: My brother back. Damn. You should tell him, like a 986 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:55,000 Speaker 2: lot of the stuff that you've said in this post, 987 00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:57,960 Speaker 2: yes bad, I have him. Just read the post and yeah, yeah, 988 00:44:58,000 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 2: but I know. 989 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:00,839 Speaker 3: You guys can do no wrong. So you should listen 990 00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:03,560 Speaker 3: to more episodes of stories like this. Just go on Spotify, 991 00:45:03,600 --> 00:45:07,319 Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and search up. Okay, 992 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:08,759 Speaker 3: start time, but there is a little bit more. But 993 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:10,600 Speaker 3: do you have any final thoughts, because I've got some 994 00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:13,040 Speaker 3: final thoughts. My final thoughts were I know you said 995 00:45:13,040 --> 00:45:13,960 Speaker 3: to show him this post. 996 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 2: I wouldn't, and the only reason is because I think 997 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:20,480 Speaker 2: it's going to activate his defenses. Yeah, because you're talking 998 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:22,200 Speaker 2: so much about the parents, and it really seems like 999 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:24,960 Speaker 2: that's where you guys. He's really it's not on the 1000 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:27,960 Speaker 2: same page. Yeah, he's always defending them because they always 1001 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 2: defend him. So you really need, I think, need to 1002 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:31,799 Speaker 2: come at it more of like an angle of like 1003 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:35,160 Speaker 2: this is just coming from a place of care about 1004 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 2: you and your well being and your independence. It's like 1005 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:41,399 Speaker 2: you kind of have to just have that. Hey, I'm 1006 00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:43,719 Speaker 2: only going to have this conversation with you once, sit 1007 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:45,319 Speaker 2: you down and have it. I think you need to 1008 00:45:45,320 --> 00:45:47,920 Speaker 2: get away and get independent. Take this information, do with 1009 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:49,719 Speaker 2: it what you want. But I want my brother back. 1010 00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:51,840 Speaker 2: I feel like I don't have you anymore. Yeah. 1011 00:45:52,239 --> 00:45:54,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, I've got some big things to think about now, 1012 00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 3: and I don't know if I'm ready to make sure 1013 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,279 Speaker 3: a major change to my life. I do believe i'd 1014 00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:01,719 Speaker 3: feel much you're and lighter if I at least and 1015 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:05,560 Speaker 3: distance myself from them and maybe even cut contact entirely. 1016 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:07,719 Speaker 3: I guess I'll just have to see what happens. I'm 1017 00:46:07,719 --> 00:46:09,640 Speaker 3: sure I already know the answer to this, But is 1018 00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:11,960 Speaker 3: it stupid to still hold that hope that things can 1019 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:14,480 Speaker 3: work out? I mean, no, it's stupid. I think it's 1020 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,800 Speaker 3: it's hope people you can have your family in your life. 1021 00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:20,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's you can, and you can go no contact 1022 00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:22,759 Speaker 2: or low contact right now, and it's like and change 1023 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:25,600 Speaker 2: your mind like people. My mom told me this when 1024 00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:28,440 Speaker 2: I was growing up, and it's like, you know, friendships, 1025 00:46:28,480 --> 00:46:30,960 Speaker 2: like losing friendships or whatever, and I'm like all upset 1026 00:46:30,960 --> 00:46:32,719 Speaker 2: about it, and she's like, we really have to be that, 1027 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:35,319 Speaker 2: you know, upset because it's like people can go like 1028 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:37,719 Speaker 2: like people, sometimes people in life are like lined up 1029 00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:39,319 Speaker 2: and they're in the same place, and then they'll go 1030 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:41,240 Speaker 2: like that, and then sometimes they just go like that forever. 1031 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:44,279 Speaker 2: But then sometimes they can come back and line up 1032 00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:46,759 Speaker 2: and you'll be back in each other's lives. Like yeah, 1033 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:50,400 Speaker 2: there's no telling. So it's just having the open mindedness 1034 00:46:50,440 --> 00:46:53,840 Speaker 2: to to move forward and you never. 1035 00:46:53,719 --> 00:46:57,439 Speaker 3: Know and allow possibility. You know, whatever possibilities are gonna 1036 00:46:57,440 --> 00:46:59,319 Speaker 3: happen in the future, but you're just knowing that you're 1037 00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:00,719 Speaker 3: prioritizing yourself. 1038 00:47:00,840 --> 00:47:03,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think clearly, what would help the family, 1039 00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 2: the most is like, there needs to be some professional 1040 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,279 Speaker 2: apps of a therapist. 1041 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:13,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, hey, it's sam og Host. We're gonnet back to 1042 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:16,239 Speaker 1: these delectable stories. But here's three minutes of ads from 1043 00:47:16,239 --> 00:47:17,680 Speaker 1: our sponsors to help support the show. 1044 00:47:18,400 --> 00:47:24,000 Speaker 2: My mother and stepfather always have explosive arguments, so I'd 1045 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:26,120 Speaker 2: banned him from my home. 1046 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:29,160 Speaker 3: Get out of my house. 1047 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:31,840 Speaker 2: That's a perfect impression. 1048 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:32,239 Speaker 1: Thank you. 1049 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:35,440 Speaker 2: I'm not sure how to start, but my name is Erica. 1050 00:47:35,560 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 2: I'm thirty five, married with two beautiful sons. My younger 1051 00:47:39,040 --> 00:47:41,319 Speaker 2: sister has urged me to post about our mom, and 1052 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:44,360 Speaker 2: I must know if I'm the a hole with regard 1053 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 2: to the boundaries. I've set up a little backstory. My mom, 1054 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:51,520 Speaker 2: who will call Stacey, is a boomer scorpio aka she 1055 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:55,120 Speaker 2: is very spicy, has always been very stubborn and set 1056 00:47:55,160 --> 00:47:58,120 Speaker 2: in her ways. Stacy thrives on drama in all aspects 1057 00:47:58,200 --> 00:47:58,800 Speaker 2: of her life. 1058 00:47:58,840 --> 00:47:59,200 Speaker 1: And by the. 1059 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:02,319 Speaker 2: Way, this story comes from user mental Rubbage a note 1060 00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:06,200 Speaker 2: just kidding mental Ruda Bega thirty three ninety three, and 1061 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:09,440 Speaker 2: you can submit your stories on the r slash Showcay 1062 00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:12,879 Speaker 2: Storytime subreddit. So she ran away with my father from 1063 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:16,520 Speaker 2: the Midwest when she was seventeen, and they divorced when 1064 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:19,200 Speaker 2: I was a preteen. I'm the oldest of three siblings. 1065 00:48:19,239 --> 00:48:21,400 Speaker 2: My brother is the problem child and has taken on 1066 00:48:21,600 --> 00:48:23,640 Speaker 2: a lot of the trauma that has to do with 1067 00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:28,360 Speaker 2: their relationship. He has substance use disorders and several other disorders, 1068 00:48:28,440 --> 00:48:31,720 Speaker 2: and he is my mom's favorite codependent, which is easiest 1069 00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:35,160 Speaker 2: to control child. Stacey remarried when I was a preteen, 1070 00:48:35,239 --> 00:48:38,040 Speaker 2: shortly after the divorce from my dad, to my stepdad, 1071 00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:41,160 Speaker 2: who will call Bill. Stacey enjoys being both the hero 1072 00:48:41,360 --> 00:48:43,960 Speaker 2: and the martyr and claims everyone else is a narcissist, 1073 00:48:44,040 --> 00:48:47,279 Speaker 2: when really she exhibits most of the behaviors of a narcissist. 1074 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,840 Speaker 2: She has been separated from my stepdad Bill since twenty fourteen, 1075 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:55,200 Speaker 2: with good reason, as they are explosive together. For example, 1076 00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:58,000 Speaker 2: Bill and Stacey came over for Christmas the year before 1077 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:00,720 Speaker 2: I put the rule of not having Bill for the holidays. 1078 00:49:00,719 --> 00:49:03,800 Speaker 2: Bill and Stacy had already been separated for a few years, 1079 00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 2: but he decided to come to Christmas with the promise 1080 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,480 Speaker 2: that they would both behave He came up to Stacy 1081 00:49:08,560 --> 00:49:12,759 Speaker 2: and started kissing her, grabbing her rear playfully, acting like 1082 00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:16,200 Speaker 2: they were the perfect couple. Knowing it was ticking Stacey off, 1083 00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:18,720 Speaker 2: she told him to stop, and he continued, They're already separated. 1084 00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:22,280 Speaker 2: Didn't already separate at this point? What is this? 1085 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:24,399 Speaker 3: And just in front of everyone, And also she's going like, hey, 1086 00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:24,800 Speaker 3: stop it. 1087 00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:29,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, this should be like ohh hey, hey, get out now, 1088 00:49:30,280 --> 00:49:32,800 Speaker 2: get out, You're gone. Why are you even here? A 1089 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:35,560 Speaker 2: few minutes later, they were screaming at each other, bringing 1090 00:49:35,640 --> 00:49:38,960 Speaker 2: up old fights and making everyone uncomfortable. I asked them 1091 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:41,160 Speaker 2: to stop or take it somewhere else, but they just 1092 00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:44,040 Speaker 2: kept going. It became an explosive fight, and many of 1093 00:49:44,040 --> 00:49:47,680 Speaker 2: our friends and family left before dinner to escape the fighting. 1094 00:49:47,800 --> 00:49:49,960 Speaker 2: I begged them to stop, and so did my husband, 1095 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:54,280 Speaker 2: but they ignored everyone's please. Eventually they left after ruining 1096 00:49:54,320 --> 00:49:56,640 Speaker 2: the entire dinner for us and our remaining guests. It 1097 00:49:57,040 --> 00:50:01,000 Speaker 2: was a doodoo show. This was not a new occurrence either. 1098 00:50:01,120 --> 00:50:03,920 Speaker 2: Throughout their entire marriage, my two siblings and I were 1099 00:50:03,960 --> 00:50:06,319 Speaker 2: the glue that kept them together. We would mitigate every 1100 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:08,560 Speaker 2: argument that arose and had the task of keeping the 1101 00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:11,520 Speaker 2: household calm. Basically, we were counselors for their marriage when 1102 00:50:11,560 --> 00:50:12,880 Speaker 2: we were merely children. 1103 00:50:13,760 --> 00:50:16,480 Speaker 3: Yes, that's that's not a great thing to put on 1104 00:50:16,520 --> 00:50:17,000 Speaker 3: a child. 1105 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:21,000 Speaker 2: It sounds like a story book romance. When we didn't 1106 00:50:21,040 --> 00:50:24,239 Speaker 2: intervene in their fights, they would yell and throw things 1107 00:50:24,239 --> 00:50:27,520 Speaker 2: at each other, use us the children as weapons against 1108 00:50:27,560 --> 00:50:30,879 Speaker 2: each other. It's just typical toxic household vibes. My brother, 1109 00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:33,399 Speaker 2: who's thirty three male as a child that we will 1110 00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:36,000 Speaker 2: call Dean, that my brother has never been capable to 1111 00:50:36,120 --> 00:50:38,840 Speaker 2: raise due to his substance abuse problems and a criminal 1112 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:42,480 Speaker 2: pass So Stacy and Bill have taken responsibility for Dean's upbringing. 1113 00:50:42,560 --> 00:50:45,240 Speaker 2: After that explosive Christmas, my husband and I were finally 1114 00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:47,520 Speaker 2: able to purchase our first house in the spring of 1115 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:49,880 Speaker 2: twenty twenty, and I thought about the upcoming holidays and 1116 00:50:49,920 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 2: how to avoid another disaster. In twenty twenty, I began 1117 00:50:53,320 --> 00:50:55,719 Speaker 2: to break from my people pleasing ways and decided to 1118 00:50:55,760 --> 00:50:59,560 Speaker 2: recognize my worth. I will not have my children experience 1119 00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:02,680 Speaker 2: the same I grew up with, and will not tolerate 1120 00:51:02,760 --> 00:51:05,239 Speaker 2: my mother and Bill's behavior in my home. I thought 1121 00:51:05,239 --> 00:51:07,680 Speaker 2: about how to proceed and decided Bill would not be 1122 00:51:07,719 --> 00:51:10,560 Speaker 2: welcome in my home until Stacy and Bill could rectify 1123 00:51:10,600 --> 00:51:14,120 Speaker 2: their relationship and behave like adults. This would effectively remove 1124 00:51:14,160 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 2: Stacy's primary trigger and hopefully facilitate happy family gatherings. This 1125 00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:22,920 Speaker 2: caused a massive fight between my mom and I, but 1126 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:25,839 Speaker 2: I have not changed my rules because they still can't 1127 00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:29,120 Speaker 2: behave to this day around each other and are still separated. 1128 00:51:29,239 --> 00:51:31,960 Speaker 3: I just don't understand why he's coming to these things exactly. 1129 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:35,480 Speaker 2: It's like, if you're separated and you're not my biological relative, 1130 00:51:35,520 --> 00:51:36,680 Speaker 2: you're not coming to Christmas. 1131 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,799 Speaker 3: And you're also like you hate each other, yes, you do, 1132 00:51:39,880 --> 00:51:42,319 Speaker 3: not like, why is she Why is she fighting so 1133 00:51:42,440 --> 00:51:43,600 Speaker 3: hard for this guy to come? 1134 00:51:43,760 --> 00:51:44,000 Speaker 1: Yeah? 1135 00:51:44,040 --> 00:51:46,040 Speaker 2: Well, I mean I feel like they'll hurt each other. 1136 00:51:46,040 --> 00:51:49,480 Speaker 2: Her want her fighting was probably less about him not 1137 00:51:49,719 --> 00:51:51,800 Speaker 2: coming and being like, oh, so you've got a problem 1138 00:51:51,840 --> 00:51:54,120 Speaker 2: with me? Yeah, so what's what did I do wrong? 1139 00:51:54,360 --> 00:51:56,640 Speaker 2: And it's like, I mean, you're just one half of 1140 00:51:56,719 --> 00:51:57,440 Speaker 2: the problem. 1141 00:51:57,520 --> 00:51:58,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 1142 00:51:58,040 --> 00:52:00,800 Speaker 2: I could go into pages and pages more of backstory 1143 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:04,080 Speaker 2: about Stacy and Bill's toxic marriage, but I will get 1144 00:52:04,080 --> 00:52:06,480 Speaker 2: to the reason of the post and whether I'm the ale. 1145 00:52:06,560 --> 00:52:09,360 Speaker 2: So let's talk about the incident that's inspired my ability 1146 00:52:09,400 --> 00:52:13,760 Speaker 2: to solidify my boundaries. Dean's birthday is around the Christmas holiday, 1147 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:16,800 Speaker 2: and this particular year, he was turning thirteen. Since Stacy 1148 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:19,520 Speaker 2: and Bill have custody of Dean, they decided to celebrate 1149 00:52:19,560 --> 00:52:22,720 Speaker 2: at one of those cool adventure parks and they invited 1150 00:52:22,760 --> 00:52:25,000 Speaker 2: the whole family. This was also the same year that 1151 00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:27,520 Speaker 2: I had finally bought my first house with my husband 1152 00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:29,759 Speaker 2: and had made my rule of not having Bill come 1153 00:52:29,800 --> 00:52:31,920 Speaker 2: to my home. I wasn't going to have Stacy and 1154 00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:36,240 Speaker 2: Bill over since their relationship was and still is incredibly toxic. 1155 00:52:36,280 --> 00:52:39,279 Speaker 2: The whole family was invited to this event. Stacy, Bill, Dean, 1156 00:52:39,480 --> 00:52:43,200 Speaker 2: my sister, her significant other, along with myself, my husband, 1157 00:52:43,239 --> 00:52:47,440 Speaker 2: and our twins. Now Stacy had been abusively messaging and 1158 00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:49,960 Speaker 2: calling four weeks prior to the party due to my 1159 00:52:50,040 --> 00:52:54,160 Speaker 2: decision to not include Bill over to my house during 1160 00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:57,239 Speaker 2: the holidays. I agreed to go despite the hate and 1161 00:52:57,320 --> 00:52:59,960 Speaker 2: animosity my mom was throwing at me to give Dean 1162 00:53:00,080 --> 00:53:02,239 Speaker 2: a fun birthday with his cousins. At the park, my 1163 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:04,840 Speaker 2: husband and I watched the kids play, and my husband 1164 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,399 Speaker 2: played as well with them. My mom would not look 1165 00:53:07,440 --> 00:53:10,360 Speaker 2: at me, speak to me, and basically just ignored my existence, 1166 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:12,479 Speaker 2: which I was fine with. We had a great time 1167 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:14,799 Speaker 2: seeing the kids have so much fun. As we got 1168 00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:17,520 Speaker 2: ready to leave. My husband gave the Christmas presents to 1169 00:53:17,520 --> 00:53:19,640 Speaker 2: my mom since we would not see them on Christmas. 1170 00:53:19,680 --> 00:53:24,000 Speaker 2: She refused to come without her estranged husband, which is such. 1171 00:53:23,760 --> 00:53:25,759 Speaker 3: Just what they're not even they're kind of not even 1172 00:53:25,800 --> 00:53:26,400 Speaker 3: as strange. 1173 00:53:26,719 --> 00:53:29,440 Speaker 2: I guess if they're both raising a kid together and 1174 00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:32,040 Speaker 2: like they're going to the adventure park and they're still 1175 00:53:32,080 --> 00:53:33,719 Speaker 2: living together, are they separated? 1176 00:53:33,800 --> 00:53:36,120 Speaker 3: I don't think they're that separated. I don't think they're 1177 00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:38,160 Speaker 3: as separates as they claim to be. 1178 00:53:38,600 --> 00:53:41,840 Speaker 2: I mean they're like separated emotionally. Yeah, they just don't 1179 00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:42,560 Speaker 2: like each other. 1180 00:53:42,640 --> 00:53:45,040 Speaker 3: They hate each other, but they're like, well, what are 1181 00:53:45,040 --> 00:53:45,480 Speaker 3: you gonna do? 1182 00:53:45,719 --> 00:53:47,760 Speaker 2: They're like, we used to like each other. Maybe that'll 1183 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:48,680 Speaker 2: happen again one day. 1184 00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:51,520 Speaker 3: You know. It's kind of like that thing, it's that 1185 00:53:51,600 --> 00:53:56,240 Speaker 3: thing whoa, which is true, but like, also it doesn't 1186 00:53:56,239 --> 00:53:57,640 Speaker 3: feel like they're doing any work. 1187 00:53:58,520 --> 00:54:02,160 Speaker 2: It takes each to actually get things back into a 1188 00:54:02,160 --> 00:54:04,960 Speaker 2: good place and relationship. Yeah, it feels just like we'll 1189 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:08,200 Speaker 2: vibe into it. It feels more like, yeah, they're just 1190 00:54:08,840 --> 00:54:11,359 Speaker 2: My mom proceeded to take all of the presents and 1191 00:54:11,600 --> 00:54:14,320 Speaker 2: stomp over to our car and put them into the trunk, 1192 00:54:14,480 --> 00:54:17,280 Speaker 2: saying that she won't take them. I'm not sure exactly 1193 00:54:17,320 --> 00:54:19,960 Speaker 2: the words she used, but they were very hateful. Dean 1194 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:22,920 Speaker 2: starts crying, Yeah, and my twins start crying, and then 1195 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:25,680 Speaker 2: I lost my crap. I can handle the abuse, but 1196 00:54:25,719 --> 00:54:28,879 Speaker 2: when you make kids cry, especially my own, it's when 1197 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:32,439 Speaker 2: I go, as my sister calls firal. Yeah, I mean, 1198 00:54:33,080 --> 00:54:36,440 Speaker 2: not only you made your own adopted kid cry, essentially, 1199 00:54:36,760 --> 00:54:38,520 Speaker 2: and you're making all the other kids cry because. 1200 00:54:38,320 --> 00:54:41,120 Speaker 3: You're making children cry too proud. 1201 00:54:40,880 --> 00:54:43,640 Speaker 2: To take gifts that aren't even for you, They're they're 1202 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:44,240 Speaker 2: for the kids. 1203 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:44,920 Speaker 3: Yeah. 1204 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:47,560 Speaker 2: I started screaming, and if you knew me, you would 1205 00:54:47,600 --> 00:54:51,160 Speaker 2: know I almost never scream. I was seeing red at 1206 00:54:51,200 --> 00:54:54,279 Speaker 2: this point. Do not mess. 1207 00:54:54,080 --> 00:54:57,440 Speaker 3: With my cash. Op Hee's going full Mama bear. 1208 00:54:57,440 --> 00:55:02,440 Speaker 2: She went. I don't know, is that it's more like 1209 00:55:02,480 --> 00:55:06,120 Speaker 2: a ferret. I told her how childish, selfish, and despicable 1210 00:55:06,200 --> 00:55:08,560 Speaker 2: she was behaving. I tried to rein in my anger 1211 00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:11,040 Speaker 2: and reiterated that she and my nephew were more than 1212 00:55:11,120 --> 00:55:14,120 Speaker 2: welcome to come to Christmas. I just wasn't having Bill 1213 00:55:14,239 --> 00:55:17,160 Speaker 2: come because they can't act like an adult for thirty 1214 00:55:17,200 --> 00:55:20,480 Speaker 2: minutes without starting a fight. The only reason she hadn't 1215 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:22,839 Speaker 2: fought with Bill at the trampoline park was because all 1216 00:55:22,920 --> 00:55:25,400 Speaker 2: her anger was pointed towards me. You know how in 1217 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:28,760 Speaker 2: Lord of the Rings when Sauron missed Sam and Frodo 1218 00:55:28,800 --> 00:55:31,239 Speaker 2: getting to Mount Doom because Aragorn and the rest of 1219 00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:33,399 Speaker 2: the guys were at the Black Gates distracting the eye. 1220 00:55:33,640 --> 00:55:36,480 Speaker 3: Spoiler spoiler alert, yeah, I spoiler. 1221 00:55:36,719 --> 00:55:40,279 Speaker 2: Basically the same principle, is it really it is? 1222 00:55:40,320 --> 00:55:42,279 Speaker 3: I believe it is the same principle. 1223 00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:46,040 Speaker 2: I had all her hate and anger one hundred percent 1224 00:55:46,200 --> 00:55:49,080 Speaker 2: focused on her horrible daughter, which was me. Back to 1225 00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:52,400 Speaker 2: the story, Stacy got in my face, practically nose to nose, 1226 00:55:52,560 --> 00:55:54,840 Speaker 2: called me the B word in front of all the kids, 1227 00:55:55,160 --> 00:55:57,560 Speaker 2: and was just pushing me to fight her physically. 1228 00:55:58,800 --> 00:56:00,680 Speaker 3: Why is your mom like this? 1229 00:56:01,000 --> 00:56:04,160 Speaker 2: She's on one right now. I'm ashamed to say that 1230 00:56:04,320 --> 00:56:06,879 Speaker 2: I was about to knock her butt into next week 1231 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:08,719 Speaker 2: right then and there. I've never been in a fight 1232 00:56:08,800 --> 00:56:10,319 Speaker 2: in my life, but I was going to teach her 1233 00:56:10,360 --> 00:56:13,920 Speaker 2: a lesson. I have never been so angry in my life. Luckily, 1234 00:56:14,320 --> 00:56:17,040 Speaker 2: my husband pulled me back and we left. Yees see, 1235 00:56:17,040 --> 00:56:19,279 Speaker 2: she was being corrupted by the power right there. 1236 00:56:19,440 --> 00:56:21,560 Speaker 3: Bill was over there, going, oh you are. 1237 00:56:21,480 --> 00:56:23,760 Speaker 2: Hearing like all the all the high pitched like screams 1238 00:56:23,760 --> 00:56:29,360 Speaker 2: and you're hearing the ring noises. Yeah, she proceeded to 1239 00:56:29,400 --> 00:56:32,040 Speaker 2: blow up my phone for hours about how I ruined 1240 00:56:32,080 --> 00:56:34,560 Speaker 2: Dean's birthday. Well, no, that was your mom, and how 1241 00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:38,240 Speaker 2: I am a selfish bee, along with countless other hateful phrases. 1242 00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:41,640 Speaker 2: I have pages and pages of her crazy texts from 1243 00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:43,640 Speaker 2: this time. I know I shouldn't have lost it honor, 1244 00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:45,800 Speaker 2: and I did apologize for that part, but I will 1245 00:56:45,840 --> 00:56:49,239 Speaker 2: not apologize for setting boundaries and having happy holidays in 1246 00:56:49,320 --> 00:56:51,840 Speaker 2: my home. So am I the a hole for not 1247 00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:54,200 Speaker 2: allowing Bill to come to my house when they're both 1248 00:56:54,360 --> 00:56:56,960 Speaker 2: hell be and on being mean and hateful whenever they 1249 00:56:56,960 --> 00:56:59,160 Speaker 2: are around each other? And was I the a hole 1250 00:56:59,200 --> 00:57:01,280 Speaker 2: for losing my crap on my mom when she returned 1251 00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:03,640 Speaker 2: to the Christmas presents and made all the kids cry? And 1252 00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:05,880 Speaker 2: by the way, you know it's gonna make all of 1253 00:57:05,920 --> 00:57:09,279 Speaker 2: us cry if you don't listen to full episodes with 1254 00:57:09,320 --> 00:57:11,680 Speaker 2: stories like this, because why wouldn't you. All you need 1255 00:57:11,719 --> 00:57:14,080 Speaker 2: to do is go to Spotify or Apple Podcasts or 1256 00:57:14,080 --> 00:57:17,200 Speaker 2: wherever you get your podcast from and search Okay Storytime, 1257 00:57:17,240 --> 00:57:20,600 Speaker 2: and there you can listen to literally everything we'd ever. 1258 00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:25,680 Speaker 3: Made right, yes, perfect man, oh man. 1259 00:57:26,040 --> 00:57:28,560 Speaker 2: No, you're not the ahole now. No. 1260 00:57:28,960 --> 00:57:30,720 Speaker 3: So I think that you wouldn't be the ahole if 1261 00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:33,680 Speaker 3: you stopped inviting your mom, because Bill is one side 1262 00:57:33,760 --> 00:57:37,720 Speaker 3: of this coin, this toxic lead coded coin, and you're 1263 00:57:37,720 --> 00:57:40,479 Speaker 3: gonna get lead poisoning if you keep holding onto that coin. 1264 00:57:40,680 --> 00:57:42,360 Speaker 3: Even if you flip it over. You're like, oh, I 1265 00:57:42,680 --> 00:57:45,480 Speaker 3: can't see the Bill side. Mom's still there, she's coding 1266 00:57:45,520 --> 00:57:45,880 Speaker 3: and lead. 1267 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:48,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. I feel like her problem is that like just 1268 00:57:48,560 --> 00:57:52,760 Speaker 2: being implicated in an issue, or that she causes issues. Yeah, 1269 00:57:52,960 --> 00:57:57,640 Speaker 2: is like now she's like she's embarrassed because now it's like, 1270 00:57:57,680 --> 00:57:59,520 Speaker 2: oh well, even if it is just like well, she's 1271 00:57:59,560 --> 00:58:02,400 Speaker 2: only banned her husband, it's like, actually, wait, no, that 1272 00:58:02,440 --> 00:58:04,800 Speaker 2: doesn't make any sense because they're supposed to be estranged, 1273 00:58:05,000 --> 00:58:07,920 Speaker 2: supposed to be but maybe they're not. Maybe they're not even. 1274 00:58:07,720 --> 00:58:12,800 Speaker 3: Stand Bill and your Mom's relationship it seems weird. Maybe 1275 00:58:12,840 --> 00:58:15,720 Speaker 3: they get off on like screaming at each other. I 1276 00:58:15,760 --> 00:58:18,520 Speaker 3: don't know, but I think at the end of the day, 1277 00:58:18,520 --> 00:58:20,640 Speaker 3: you don't need to invite your mom two things either, 1278 00:58:20,760 --> 00:58:22,320 Speaker 3: because it seems like you have like a you have 1279 00:58:22,320 --> 00:58:24,520 Speaker 3: a pretty volatile relationship with your mom too. 1280 00:58:24,880 --> 00:58:28,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, as of today, she still throws a fit every 1281 00:58:28,360 --> 00:58:31,080 Speaker 2: year around Halloween when she starts talking about coming over 1282 00:58:31,080 --> 00:58:33,960 Speaker 2: for the holidays, and I have to reiterate my boundaries. 1283 00:58:34,040 --> 00:58:36,560 Speaker 2: This year, she decided to tell me I'm banned from 1284 00:58:36,560 --> 00:58:39,400 Speaker 2: her life and her funeral, along with pages and pages 1285 00:58:39,440 --> 00:58:42,600 Speaker 2: of verbal abuse. I don't know why I even stay 1286 00:58:42,640 --> 00:58:44,880 Speaker 2: in contact with her. I've always been a people pleaser, 1287 00:58:44,960 --> 00:58:46,600 Speaker 2: and it's hard for me to take this from her 1288 00:58:46,680 --> 00:58:49,040 Speaker 2: year after year. She is my mom and I love her, 1289 00:58:49,080 --> 00:58:51,040 Speaker 2: but I'm not sure how many more times I can 1290 00:58:51,080 --> 00:58:53,760 Speaker 2: be called a narcissist, a disappointment of her daughter, a 1291 00:58:53,760 --> 00:58:56,880 Speaker 2: horrible mother, along with the slew of profanity and so on. Yeah, 1292 00:58:56,880 --> 00:58:57,600 Speaker 2: you don't have to take that. 1293 00:58:57,680 --> 00:58:58,280 Speaker 3: Don't take it. 1294 00:58:58,520 --> 00:59:00,640 Speaker 2: We are in low contact right now, but after the 1295 00:59:00,640 --> 00:59:03,240 Speaker 2: holidays have all passed, she will work her way back 1296 00:59:03,280 --> 00:59:06,040 Speaker 2: into our lives without an apology, and the cycle will 1297 00:59:06,080 --> 00:59:08,040 Speaker 2: begin again at the end of October. And that is 1298 00:59:08,040 --> 00:59:10,080 Speaker 2: the end of that story. But hey, Yah, sounds like 1299 00:59:10,120 --> 00:59:12,720 Speaker 2: you're very acutely aware of the cycle. It's time to 1300 00:59:12,880 --> 00:59:13,680 Speaker 2: call her out. 1301 00:59:14,280 --> 00:59:16,760 Speaker 3: Yeah. I just also think, at the end of the day, 1302 00:59:16,800 --> 00:59:19,040 Speaker 3: like you do, not have to have a relationship with her. 1303 00:59:19,080 --> 00:59:21,919 Speaker 3: You don't like she keeps causing problems in your life. 1304 00:59:21,920 --> 00:59:25,200 Speaker 3: She keeps pulling. She pulled you as a child into this, 1305 00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:28,160 Speaker 3: she pulled your kids. Now. It's just a cycle that 1306 00:59:29,400 --> 00:59:30,560 Speaker 3: ain't ain't too hot. 1307 00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:34,400 Speaker 2: There's never an obligation, like you know, there's always like 1308 00:59:34,440 --> 00:59:37,040 Speaker 2: a sense or like there's that outward pressure from like 1309 00:59:37,080 --> 00:59:39,360 Speaker 2: society and like everything we've been brought up in where 1310 00:59:39,360 --> 00:59:41,760 Speaker 2: it's like old family first, and like it's always your 1311 00:59:41,760 --> 00:59:43,840 Speaker 2: family you always keep. But like if she's like she's 1312 00:59:43,840 --> 00:59:49,040 Speaker 2: like actively making abusing you verbally like and like mentally like, 1313 00:59:49,280 --> 00:59:50,000 Speaker 2: it's it's okay. 1314 00:59:50,120 --> 00:59:52,240 Speaker 3: I think when you get to where you almost physically 1315 00:59:52,320 --> 00:59:55,080 Speaker 3: fight someone, maybe we should reconsider whether or not we 1316 00:59:55,160 --> 00:59:56,480 Speaker 3: want that person in our life. 1317 00:59:56,560 --> 01:00:00,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, especially as adults. We love you and 1318 01:00:00,560 --> 01:00:02,080 Speaker 2: see to morrow.