You most probably know that in about two months' time, I would have finished repaying the MYR100,000 business debt that my father incurred some years back and I would be so relieved. It is very tough on me to hold three jobs to pay off this sum and upkeep the family and the monkeys and also just enough for myself to live, but frugally.
My mother always tell me, it's only another X months! Ok, so I slog on and even going without sleep through the night. Some of my friends know that and they try to keep me awake because I ask them to so that I could pack in some work in the night.
So the other day, I really thought that I am going to be rid of this burden and then I could start saving up some money for myself. I want to buy my own car and be independent and I need a laptop to help me work better.
But then there’s more bad news. My mother told me that there is still a MYR3000 debt owing to the same creditor. I was like, "What the %&^%^*??? You said that it's going to be over and done with NEXT MONTH? Now you tell me that there is another MYR3000?"
Ok, so I agreed to shoulder that as well except that instead of paying a monthly installment of MYR2300, I would pay MYR1000 per month spread out over 3 months. I thought that with a reduction of about 50% I would not be so pressured and can breathe easier.
But then there’s even worse news. I think just because this debt is soon going to be fully repaid, my mother told me a problem that I felt compelled to help.
More than two years ago, my cousin sister fell very ill and was admitted to a private hospital. Her mother-in-law made a deposit to the hospital but as the days dragged on, the bill accumulated. The family then transferred my cousin sister to the government hospital where she subsequently passed away. According to my mother, the husband of my cousin was unable to settle the hospital bill there and then so the hospital forced the cousin's parents (my uncle & aunt) and a friend to be guarantors. Shouldn't the husband be the guarantor? I don't know why but somehow he was not involved.
So like I said, my cousin passed away at the government hospital and just for your information, patients who pass away at the government hospital will not be billed.
After so many months, the husband, who pledged to repay the private hospital bill, did not do so. The hospital management engaged a lawyer and summoned my uncle, aunt and that friend to court but none of them attended the hearing. My uncle and aunt are uneducated and they are from out of state. They did not know how serious it is for not turning up.
Anyway, a couple of days ago, a bailiff came to my uncle's house and recorded down all their property and gave them an ultimatum to settle the sum of money or they will attach the house and cart off everything that is inside, including the computer, settee, electrical appliances and even the garden swing. Can you believe it?
According to my mother, the total bill came up to be about MYR8,900 as of last week. And they are supposed to pay off the debt by 2nd July or somewhere there. So my mother came to me for help.
What I don't understand is why my cousin's two brothers do not help to settle it? It was not that big an amount in the early days before the interest snowballed. But no, they prefer to use their money to live a good life. Don’t we all know how to have a good life? One drives a BMW and another drives a Toyota Camry. Both kept saying that the husband should be the one paying off that bill.
The husband has to take care of their four young children single-handedly and living in Johor Bahru, where the cost of living is so high, is not a joke what with education and childcare. So he can't pay. What is the big deal if the brothers chipped in to help, right? My cousin is their sister, for Heaven's sake!
But they refused. They don't care if their parents go bankrupt for being guarantors in this case and failing to pay up the money. So guess who is the one who is going to help them?
My mother was telling me things like, "This problem is very easy to settle with money." Don't we know it? Whose money ahhh?
Seriously, I AM VERY SICK OF LIFE here.
Paul asked me why don't I jump airplane and go to New York City? Even telephone operators with the most basic of education are paid USD600 per week. Those who are a little bit capable, maybe with typing or computing skills can earn USD800 per week or so. A nanny is paid USD2000 a month, inclusive of food and lodging.
I just might go this way, not so much for the money since with the high cost of living there won't be much left from the pay cheque, but just so to get away from here, you know?
