My wifes mother is well-off, well never need to work!my friend beamed as he told me this.
Ive always known a fellow named Anthony who dreamed of a comfortable life at someone elses expense. He made a real effort to win the favour of a girl from a prosperous family. It was rather obvious to me he didnt love her, and any marriage for such reasons was bound to be rocky. But Anthony was dead set on the idea that a wealthy wife was his ticket to a carefree, easy life. I might have believed him if she herself actually knew the first thing about earning money. The wealth came from her mother, who owned several large shops in the heart of London.
I tried to knock some sense into Anthony:
Do you really think theyre going to support a layabout? Its far better to have your own independence and hold down a job.
Oh, dont be a bore. Weve got a baby on the way. They trust me completely! Anthony grinned.
I just couldnt wrap my head around it. Its not fair to treat a girlfriend like that. A man should provide for his family, not rely on others for the basics.
Some time passed, and curiosity got the better of me. I asked him where he was working. It turned out neither he nor his wife did anything at all, except lounge around at home. Their days were spent playing computer games, watching telly, or napping. The mother-in-law cooked for them and picked up every bill. I admit, I was a tad enviousAnthony had got exactly the life he wanted.
My wifes mum is loaded, well never need to work! he boasted, clearly pleased about his cushy lifestyle.
Perhaps it might have lasted a good while longer, but trouble struck the businessthe income shrank drastically. The mother-in-law had no choice but to offer both daughter and son-in-law jobs.
A month went by since Id last seen Anthony. Then the phone rang: Anthony, in a worried tone, asked if I could lend him £5,000 for a couple of weeks.
Im looking for work. Ill go to a job interview, get an advance, and pay you straight back. Were completely skint, he confessed sadly.
That was the end of his idyllic existence. Since then, both he and his wife have been working. He paid back every penny. So much for relying on a wealthy family. It taught me that, in the end, you shouldnt depend on someone else for security. True happiness and safety come from standing on your own two feet.
