Two Daughters - Two Stories - and Maybe a Prodigal

[Cow Poke]

So, last night went great - the pizza rolls or buns - whatever we want to call them - were a big hit, and most people went back for seconds or thirds...

This pic doesn't look good because these were cold by the time I took the picture, but these are cupcake sized.

pizza rolls.jpg

George acted a lot more "accepted" and is beginning to transform into a more "social" creature. Because of her drugs and history, she had become pretty much anti-social.

She is accepted quite well in spite of the fact that she's pretty much covered in tattoos, which often is a real problem for older people.

[Cow Poke]

I will be praying for her. It's really hard for a person to not feel like they measure up to a certain standard what ever that standard they think should be and it's doubly hard when they live with an abusive person who tells them they don't measure up. I would guess she might have some problems that took early roots for whatever reason and became deep seated as she grew older.

I think a lot of it has to do with jealousy - her younger sister (4 years almost to the day) was born with flaming red hair, and everybody always made such a fuss about her. "The Little Redhead", as I called her, was quite gifted in a number of areas, including being incredibly talented at playing the piano. This topic has surfaced a number of times.

[Catholicity]

Thanks, FF.... obviously I see a Christian component that you do not, but I accept your affirmation in the spirit I believe you intended.

Tonight she's cooking the meal for our Wednesday Night Bible study - families take turns doing this - because she makes this really good "pizza ball" (basically, pizza and spaghetti ingredients wrapped in a biscuit shell, baked in a cup-cake tin) and this was her idea.

She HAS had a sense of "I'm garbage", and her verbally abusive husband was a large part of that, so she's having to learn all over again that she's "somebody".

I will be praying for her. It's really hard for a person to not feel like they measure up to a certain standard what ever that standard they think should be and it's doubly hard when they live with an abusive person who tells them they don't measure up. I would guess she might have some problems that took early roots for whatever reason and became deep seated as she grew older.

[Cow Poke]

So, George has gone with me every weekday morning for breakfast to the Mission our Church supports - they have a free breakfast at 8 AM followed by a "leadership training" Bible Study - and she actually pays attention the Bible study.
Often, she says, "Dad, that's the same thing you've been telling me for 30 years!"
She also has been attending an NA group on Tuesday nights.

And, TONIGHT, she has cooked supper for our church group - I'll let you know how that goes, but I think it's gonna be a pretty good morale boost for her, knowing our people!

[Cow Poke]

Good story, I hope things work out. Maybe above anything else, a person needs a sense of worth and that means a job that they like. And that often means having a useful skill.

Thanks, FF.... obviously I see a Christian component that you do not, but I accept your affirmation in the spirit I believe you intended.

Tonight she's cooking the meal for our Wednesday Night Bible study - families take turns doing this - because she makes this really good "pizza ball" (basically, pizza and spaghetti ingredients wrapped in a biscuit shell, baked in a cup-cake tin) and this was her idea.

She HAS had a sense of "I'm garbage", and her verbally abusive husband was a large part of that, so she's having to learn all over again that she's "somebody".

[firstfloor]

Good story, I hope things work out. Maybe above anything else, a person needs a sense of worth and that means a job that they like. And that often means having a useful skill.

[Cow Poke]

Just think of the bill the other guys are gonna get. Since there was no money involved (they couldn't get anything from your daughter) I doubt the lawyer worked for a percentage. Unless maybe he was a friend of theirs. He didn't sound like much of a lawyer from what you describe though.

He claimed in court he charged them a flat $5,000 -- I'm betting that was contingent on them winning the case and getting a judgment, but who knows. She's trying this morning to find a property attorney to represent her, and she's pleasantly surprised when the receptionist says, "oh, you already WON your case, and just need a judgment written?"

But, yeah -- I don't think there's any way their lawyer did NOT know these people were scammers.

[Sparko]

I think she got in "lawyer mode" -- you know, how non-lawyers get a little carried away trying to sound "lawyerly", when "plain language" would be so much more effective. But, yeah, she basically did a "document dump", and the plantiff's lawyer had to do WAY more reading than he probably wanted to do!

I think, just on the basis of the answers to discovery, the judge knew where this case needed to go.

Just think of the bill the other guys are gonna get. Since there was no money involved (they couldn't get anything from your daughter) I doubt the lawyer worked for a percentage. Unless maybe he was a friend of theirs. He didn't sound like much of a lawyer from what you describe though.

[Cow Poke]

That's funny. She did the paper dump on him. Actual lawyers do that too. They will send over so many documents that the other side gets swamped trying to find the needle in the haystack. Except in your daughter's case I bet it was all relevant facts!

I think she got in "lawyer mode" -- you know, how non-lawyers get a little carried away trying to sound "lawyerly", when "plain language" would be so much more effective. But, yeah, she basically did a "document dump", and the plantiff's lawyer had to do WAY more reading than he probably wanted to do!

I think, just on the basis of the answers to discovery, the judge knew where this case needed to go.

[Cow Poke]

So how did they have access to the house if it was repossessed by the bank? Usually the bank will sell it at foreclosure. And it seems to have been going on for quite a while. Sounds like the bank is partially responsible for not doing their job.

I don't think it was a reputable bank - I remember hearing the name of the bank during trial, and thinking, "what is that, some kind of online bank?"

This is an old mobile home on 2 acres out in the woods, so... yeah, I really don't know, but it didn't seem like a very "proper" relationship.

I had neighbors like that at my old house. They were constantly in trouble with the law, apparently they sold drugs. The always had loud parties, and getting into fights. There seemed to be about 12 people living there. One time I was away from home at my parents for Thanksgiving and came home to a broken back door, and found out I was burglarized. When the police came over they said it was probably the neighbors, every cop knew them, but unless I could report seeing them with any of my stuff, they didn't have probably cause to go search their house. They were one of the main reasons I decided to move and buy a new house.

Yeah, now that George has "clear title", she's wanting to sell that property and start over, probably in the city where I live now. (Though I actually don't live "in" the city )

[Sparko]

Didn't even notice. Still processing all of this.

And still thinking about the fact that this high dollar lawyer got whooped up on by my little girl.

He had yelled at her before, because he filed a motion for discovery, and she answered it with THREE HUNDRED PAGES of answers and documents.
He yelled in court (last time) WHAT ATTORNEY is going to answer DISCOVERY with THREE HUNDRED PAGES?!?!?!?!

The judge smiled and said, "she's very thorough!"

That's funny. She did the paper dump on him. Actual lawyers do that too. They will send over so many documents that the other side gets swamped trying to find the needle in the haystack. Except in your daughter's case I bet it was all relevant facts!

[Sparko]

Back in 1993, the "scammers" actually owned it, and it got repo'd by a bank.... They apparently ran this "rent to own" scam several times, but they always managed to be such !$!^!^# neighbors that nobody wanted to stay and finish the purchase. That was the case, eventually, with Mike and her husband. Apparently, thinking the money was going toward ownership, they got suspicious, did their research, found out it had been scammed to others, and they contacted the bank who repo'd it and offered to buy it from them, and pay back taxes. By that time, the bank was willing to let it go for a song just to get rid of it because it was rapidly depreciating because of the neighborhood.

So how did they have access to the house if it was repossessed by the bank? Usually the bank will sell it at foreclosure. And it seems to have been going on for quite a while. Sounds like the bank is partially responsible for not doing their job.

The 'fake owners' lived right next door, and made the renters' lives a living he-double-hockystick. Loud music all hours of the day and night, motorcycles, fireworks (this is "out in the country) and meth parties... anything to prevent the rent-to-own folks from wanting to stay, and depriving them of "quiet enjoyment" - another aspect of this trial.

The "fake owners" actually had a daughter who was on the outs with her parents, who stopped in to visit George one day and bring her up to speed on the history. She basically ratted out her parents, and pointed George in the right direction for research, and prior "scammed" folks.

Oh, and the reason the "fake owners" couldn't have their name on the contract -- they were both scamming the government for "disability", and could not receive income.

I had neighbors like that at my old house. They were constantly in trouble with the law, apparently they sold drugs. The always had loud parties, and getting into fights. There seemed to be about 12 people living there. One time I was away from home at my parents for Thanksgiving and came home to a broken back door, and found out I was burglarized. When the police came over they said it was probably the neighbors, every cop knew them, but unless I could report seeing them with any of my stuff, they didn't have probably cause to go search their house. They were one of the main reasons I decided to move and buy a new house.

[Cow Poke]

That's great. Being aware of the temptation in advance allows one to brace for it.


And sorry about using "their" in the previous post

Didn't even notice. Still processing all of this.

And still thinking about the fact that this high dollar lawyer got whooped up on by my little girl.

He had yelled at her before, because he filed a motion for discovery, and she answered it with THREE HUNDRED PAGES of answers and documents.
He yelled in court (last time) WHAT ATTORNEY is going to answer DISCOVERY with THREE HUNDRED PAGES?!?!?!?!

The judge smiled and said, "she's very thorough!"

[rogue06]

Youbechka! And George just got done telling me, "Dad, if we do get money for the house, I can pay you back a big chunk of the millions of dollars you've had to spend on my rebellion...."

I told her I was concerned about the very thing you mentioned, and she CLAIMS that we'll put it in a trust fund and/or allow me to direct it so she can put down a down payment or deposit on a house or apartment.

But, yes, even George is aware there will be that temptation.

That's great. Being aware of the temptation in advance allows one to brace for it.


And sorry about using "their" in the previous post

[Cow Poke]

As they say the wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine. Thanks be to God that this was the case this time.

One potential hurdle to overcome is that after selling the house and getting a chunk of money their will be a temptation to celebrate and "party" a little.

Youbechka! And George just got done telling me, "Dad, if we do get money for the house, I can pay you back a big chunk of the millions of dollars you've had to spend on my rebellion...."

I told her I was concerned about the very thing you mentioned, and she CLAIMS that we'll put it in a trust fund and/or allow me to direct it so she can put down a down payment or deposit on a house or apartment.

But, yes, even George is aware there will be that temptation.