You make quite a bit of money, dont you? My wifes sister borrowed some cash and dashed off to the seaside.
This past summer, my beloved wifes sister came to visit us. The whole family refers to her as the familys pet, because at every gatheringwhether its Mum, Dad, or anyone elseconversations always circle around her. She was a brilliant student, graduated from university, found herself a good job in her chosen field; isnt she the perfect daughter?
Meanwhile, the eldest daughter never even finished her degree and ran off to get married. No one seemed to mind, though, since I was what one might call comfortably well-off, with a business of my own. I had a flat in London, drove a reliable car, and brought home a decent salary. But still, the best daughter remained my wifes younger sister.
And so this summer, the younger sister came round and asked to borrow some money, as she was hoping to get a mortgage for a flat, yet didnt have the deposit. For me, it wasnt a huge amount, so I agreed without hesitation. She assured me her job at the local council was secure, and shed pay me back on time.
She took the money and nearly swore on her heart that shed repay me every single month. Yet only a week later, she had whisked herself off to Brighton. When I caught wind of this, I felt perplexed; somehow, someone who claimed she couldnt scrape together a deposit for a flat had managed to afford a holiday by the sea.
She took leave from work, told the relatives shed been saving up all year for this trip, but the odd thing wasshe still hadnt applied for her mortgage. I asked her what had become of the flat. She said shed changed her mind.
I then asked for the money back. She told me there was nothing left; shed already spent it all at the seaside. Thats when I realised she never had any intention of buying a flat.
I politely requested she repay her debt as soon as possible, since Id given her the money to buy a home, not to splash around in the waves. Her reply stung:
Im going to be earning loads, youll just have to wait a bit longer; theres nothing now.
How do you suppose the story ended? Exactly as expectedshe went running to her mother, telling her Id demanded repayment far too soon, and thats no way to treat family. The youngest daughter became the family angel again, and we, naturally, were simply the greedy, wealthy monsters.
It was all so hazy and strange, as if Brightons tides had been pulling at the edges of reality itself, twisting sense into ribbons as thin as seafoam.
