As I am typing this, the red mist in my head (somewhat like the enrage thingy in Hearthstone, and a red mist swirls around in the card) has started receding. I haven’t gone into a rage like this for the longest time ever. I like to think that I have mellowed down because I’m older and am a parent. Parents, well, are calm, reasonable, infallible know-it-alls. When I saw red in my youth, i went on a rampage (literally). My reaction this time was mild.
I have a cousin, who visits my place twice a year, to “chit-chat” with my grandmother (also his grandmother) and my parents. Ok heck! I’m like that too, I don’t go to my maternal grandparents’ place very often, the usual once-in-a-year-chinese-new-year kind. So I wasn’t too bothered by it.
According to my Aunt and Uncle, he is an extremely successful property agent, who owns a huge agency and drives a big ass Mercedes (or is it a BMW?? I’m not too good with cars. To me, a car is something that brings me from point A to B. The more petrol saving it is, the better!). Anyway, out of the blue, 2 months ago, my uncle suddenly approached my Dad for help. Apparently, my dear cousin got himself into debt because he acted as a guarantor for someone (not even a close friend) for $500k. And now the banks are baying for his blood because his “friend” has disappeared. My conclusion is that the story is fictitious. He probably lost money in some volatile trade or deal. Come on, which ordinary person with any semblance of a brain (not to mention that he’s a street wise big shot property agency director) would act as a guarantor to ANYONE?!
He’s supposed to call my Dad for a loan personally. But no, he didn’t.
My very kind Dad, who stinged on himself for 60 over years, taking the cheapest bus routes to save a few cents, parked his car 10 km away (ok this is an exaggeration, but you get the idea) from the destination because there’s free parking, doesn’t go on holidays, practically went to him and (short of begging) offered him the money!!
He, who still drives a Mercedes/BMW, owns an apartment, can’t downgrade his current luxurious lifestyle, wants to borrow money from my dear Dad who walks or buses to his destination, eats the cheapest food in the hawker centre and saves his money carefully.
The first thing I felt was heartache. That, my Dad, who worked so hard over the years, saved so hard, took his hard earned money and offered it to him!! Practically shoving it into his face! That was the first time I expressed displeasure. I’m usually quite bo chap about how he spends his money. Afterall, it’s his! He felt good, rescuing his nephew from the depths of the abyss.
Ok, nevermind. That’s over.
My parents have an apartment whose tenant didn’t renew the lease. So, my Dad decided to let my “poor” cousin market it. That’s fine too. After all he’s a professional. What irked me was, he didn’t even make any suggestion as to what the market rate was (like any good professional real estate agent should do, not to mention a big shot agency directory right??). He just did the bare minimum and listed the unit on PropertyGuru. The apartment stayed empty for 2 months. He brought 2 couples to view it. 2 miserable viewings. And didn’t give any suggestion as to how to better the standing of the apartment.
A few days ago, I got to know an agent who had tenants looking for the same kind of apartment. The next day, the viewing was made and the deal was sealed. Enough said.
Being, the nosy parker I am, I went into my dear cousin’s PropertyGuru. He had 36 listings for sale and 12 listings for rent. All big ass commercial and industrial properties. My poor Dad’s unit was the one with the LOWEST rent. You draw your own conclusion. Seriously, I didn’t blame him for it, because it’s logical to chase after the biggest dollar.
Everything was rosy, until this morning, I found out that my Dad called my undeserving, skin-thick-as-dinosaur-hide cousin and offered him $1.7k commission, FOR DOING NOTHING, FOR LOSING HIM 2 MONTHS’ WORTH OF RENTAL, FOR PUTTING HIM IN THE LAST PLACE OF HIS PRIORITY LIST. And the ingrate actually said, “ok, I will take your money.”
I SAW RED.
I called my dad. He slammed the phone down on me. I’M POSITIVELY HOPPING MAD! Red mist rolled in and clouded my senses. Ok, fine, don’t listen to me, right? FINE! I message lah!!!
I sent him messages after messages, still no swear words, although I was punching my phone, furiously swearing. Thank goodness, my iphone had gorilla glass or else I might have made a hole in my screen.
Now, the red mist has cleared (kind of). There’s no sense souring our relationship over a pompous, self-centred, unprofessional, 不知廉耻 (direct translation : don’t know what the word shame means) THING whom I don’t even see more than once a year.
It’s ok. We need to have people like that in the world so that I seem relatively more benevolent, sweeter, smarter (whatever good words I can think of), because I’m definitely no saint myself.
I know my Dad reads my blog and he is going to read this. I’m still going to say this. I’m not angry with you. I just feel upset that someone who’s totally undeserving, who has not done the work, gets rewarded for the wrong kind of behaviour.
Ok. Rant over. Back to work!
