Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Peter Pauper’s Predicament

Dear Gabby,

“Glenn” has been my best friend since grade school, (over 30 years now), but everything changed when he married into a wealthy family. Now he and I can hardly relate to each other at all. I still have a lot of financial problems, but when I see him, all he talks about is how his stocks are doing. He says he’s grown as a person, but frankly I find him boring now, and I actually think his brain has shriveled from disuse now that he just trades stock and plays golf all day. I the things he says are arrogant and insensitive, particularly to people like me who don’t even know how they’ll afford to retire. I’m not the only one among our group of friends that feels this way either. We all feel like paupers in the presence of an insensitive prince. I keep trying to explain this to him and get him to be more sensitive, and maybe do some activities with me that aren’t golf. (I tried to like the game for five years. I just don’t.) What do you think I should do?

Peter Pauper

Dear Peter Pauper,

It sounds like you’ve grown apart. Unfortunate as it is, this is why rich folk tend to befriend other rich, and the working class with other working class folk. Let it go. Let him cavort with his other shallow wealthy friends at the golf club, while you take your buddies from the warehouse out for a beer. Even if you still wind up brooding about it with your other friends, at least they’ll understand, and you’ll find that you’re happier.