My parents live in Liverpool and I live in London.
We havent clapped eyes on each other for over twenty years. Theyre both artists, singing their hearts out in a folk choir, with their entire lives spent galivanting around the country. When I turned five, I was packed off to live with my grandmother. To make things easier for her, she ended up moving to stay with extended family in Kent. At first Mum and Dad would visit a couple, maybe three times a year, but in the end even those fleeting visits fizzled out. Eventually, I stopped thinking about them altogether. Communication just withered away. By the time I was slogging through medical school, I got married in my third year.
These days, my husband and I run our own dental practice and do rather well for ourselves. Then, lo and behold, about a year ago my parents resurfaced. They started ringing up the clinic (they didnt even have my mobile number, would you believe it?). Our chats mostly consisted of them having a good old moan about their lot in life.
Id listen patiently to all their grumbles and gently remind them that it was their choice that day leaving their daughter with her grandma to pursue their musical dreams. Sometimes theyd flick a bit of change to Gran, but for the most part, she and I got by on her pension. She often reminded me of this, and I didnt need much reminding we save pennies wherever we could.
I worked my socks off in school, which meant I managed to snag a spot at uni with a government grant. To keep the lights on and buy the odd jumper, I worked night shifts as a nurse at the hospital. Now I figure I have my own life, and my parents have theirs, and they can get on with it as they please.
Once Mum and Dad realised I wasnt exactly the Bank of England, they started muttering something about filing for maintenance. Given the state of things between Liverpool and London these days, I highly doubt theyll have much luck. Their threats were the final straw for me. If, before, I had any doubts about whether I should help them out, after that conversation I cant say Ive got much sympathy left.
So what do you think? Am I being too harsh, or is it perfectly fair not to cave in for my parents at this point?
