Legal Quandary

On a Somewhat Tangential Note

Of course, in spite of being the most awesome mom ever, I sadly failed to capture the title for the most awesome daughter ever.

During my nightly conversation with my dad, I was relaying my financial aid woes while trying to cook dinner. (I know – cooking hotdogs doesn’t require much effort or brain power, but still). I said something to the effect of “well, bottom line is that the financial aid office doesn’t want to agree to anything which might mean more work on their behalf.” I knew it was wrong the moment the words slipped from my lips. If I’d been paying more attention, I wouldn’t have said it in the first place. But I did and my dad jumped all over me for it.

“You don’t mean on their behalf. You mean on their part.”

“Oh, um, yeah – that’s what I meant.”

“Do you know what the German equivalent of behalf is?” This is typically a lead in to how the Latin root of the word is actually the same in both German and English (or something along those lines). But it’s never a short conversation. Nor is it ever undertaken for any other purpose than to lecture me. And sadly, I had no patience for that last night. I proceeded to flip right on out.

I don’t give a good GOD DAMN what the word is in German! All I know is I have figure out where I’m going to be living in 6 weeks. AND where I’m going to be going to school. AND where my kids are going to be going to school. AND where I’m going to get an extra 20 GRAND to PAY for school! And THEY don’t want to help me!

I’m sure that to someone who doesn’t know whether he’ll live for another 6 weeks, these problems seem inconsequential. Though truthfully, his health problems and the knowledge that at some point, I’m going to have to deal with all of his legal and financial issues (which aren’t exactly trivial) only compound my own stress. However, to my credit I didn’t happen to blurt that out in my little tirade.

He just said “You need to de-stress.”

Yeah, I really do.

posted by Legal Quandary at 19:23