From Riches to Rags

There's a guy I work with who seemed to have it all growing up.  He went to a prestigious private school, lived in a huge mansion of a house with the right zip code, and had all the trappings of wealth.  I worked with his father before working with him so I know this family very well. 

The father was an exceedingly hard worker.  He earned what he had.  Good for him.  He taught his son the same work ethic.  Together the father and son built a company that was profitable.  There were two sisters, but neither worked in the business and the mother lived a very cushy life of doing art and socializing at the country club. 

The father was blunt in conversation.  You never had to guess what he was thinking.  God Bless him.  The son is a GREAT guy who is funny, hard working, and honest.  They were quite the duo. 

About 20 years ago the son decides to get married.  Hmmmmmm.  I was skeptical when I was told the "how did you two meet" story back then.  The bride-to-be worked at a bank.  She saw how much money he had in his account and called him up for a date.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out she was a gold digger.  Whatever.  Who am I to judge relationships?  They both seemed happy and I kept my opinion of her to myself. 

The years roll by.  The son and his bride have two kids.  She lives the princess lifestyle of leisure while he works his fingers to the bone.  The father sets up a trust in the 1990's for the son to inherit the business as the son was the one who worked to build it up. 

The father dies.  The sisters contest the trust.  Long story short the son gets raped financially.  Tough times.  The bride can't take a change in her cushy lifestyle and kicks out the son.  She went psycho on him.

Long story short, the son worked his $%^ off to build a company that was pulled out from under his feet.  A divorce is in the works and bride cleaned out all the bank accounts. 

Fast forward to this morning.  

I had an issue that I needed to talk to the son about.  I called him on his cell phone.  When he answered he was on the beach in Santa Cruz with his new puppy.  I could tell he had been drinking and this is at 9:00 AM.  He's lost everything and I feel so badly for him.  He's now living in a warehouse and going to start over from scratch.  I truly wish him success as he really is a good guy. I hope he finds a woman who is not a gold digger and dumps him at the first sign of financial difficulties.  My dating advice for him?  If the teller at the bank calls you up for a date after taking notice of the balance in the account RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!