Today, I have a lunch with Billie---a lawyer from the law firm where I desperately want to work. Unfortunately, the way I know Billie is through my grandfather.
Also unfortunately, the relationship with my grandfather is a strained one at this moment. He called last week to scold me for not going to my Uncle Peter's funeral. In my defense, I did not go for several reasons. Number 1: I was needed to work in my grandfather's store (without both of my parents and the employees who were on vacation, the number of people remaining to work were limited). Number 2: I needed to work at the store. Law books are expensive, and I don't fancy asking for money from my parents if I haven't at least tried my best to earn it. Also, they are paying for my bar review class and I feel incredibly, horribly guilty about it. Number 3: My mom told us not to go. It was her brother, and she said it would be easier and more convenient for everyone if just the adults went. For one thing, less hotel rooms. For another, less dinners out for a large group of people. For a third, she and my dad are buying a new farm on the eastern shore and the closing was the same day, so not only would we have gone to the funeral, but we would have been at the closing--which would have been kind of inappropriate. Anyway, my granddad accepted none of these reasons and instead warned me that I should be worried about my reputation, assuring me that he knew things that I did not. Since he is deaf, I seriously doubt that. If anyone tried to tell him anything, he wouldn't hear anyway. That is, of course, unless it was proclaimed on Fox News. But I'm pretty sure that didn't happen.
My darling grandfather also proceeded to call Andy and scold him for working in the family business (you know, the one my grandfather started 54 years ago). He told him that, since he has a college degree, he should get a job and support me more in the style I deserve or something to that effect. Andy did not take this well.
My mom called and yelled at my granddad, but, like I said, he's deaf. She should take out an advertisement on Fox if she wants to get to him. I explained this theory and she rolled her eyes. I'm pretty sure my granddad, who can no longer walk or drive, is determined, in his invalid state, to make everyone around him as miserable as he has become.
My last email from Billie said that he heard I had "snagged my guy." Snagged? I hope he doesn't mean that he thinks we got engaged--because I will be quite sad to have to explain that, no, I am not engaged, I just plan weddings via elaborate powerpoint presentations for fun. He also said he had been talking to my granddad a lot. A lot? Oh no. Did he hear about the funeral? About Andy's "unacceptable" life choices? Oh dear. If he did, I may kill him. Not cool, g-dad, not cool. Is he trying to help me get a job or keep me dependent forever? I'm not really sure. It's a bit disconcerting, to be sure.
My aunt Beckie called me the other day to tell me that she's sorry he's behaving badly and that she knows how "abusive" he can be. She did not introduce her now-husband, Jeff, to him until they were engaged because he had a nasty habit of saying horrible things about her boyfriends and making her upset. Apparently, he frequently told her that her other boyfriends were gay because of some random detail or other and thought no one was good enough for her. Well, I can commiserate, Beckie. When I was in college, I dated a boy who my granddad insisted was black but that the boy cleverly hid it from me because, after all, silly little girls like me can be easily tricked about these things.
Lunch should be interesting.
Good luck!
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