I was rich once. Extremely rich. One of the richest men alive.
My grandson is poor.
He’s running for US President but he’s poor.
“Joe, Joe…how did that happen!??” you say.
Around The Bay by Department of Eagles plays.
The song plays.
He used drugs. He used a lot of drugs. And then he stopped but her ruined his reputation. And really…he’s just…a bad apple. I love him, but he’s a wretched man. Worse than I ever was. I worry he’s going to Hell every day. But…I’m still dealing with my own evil. It’s worthless being evil.
No. We’re poor.
We wasted all of our money. We just pissed it away.
We still have the main house. In Massachusetts. *I smile* That house was my dream come true.
But no one’s all that rich anymore.
We still have our family name. Or we did. But…that’s slipping away now too.
You know when everything went wrong? When Lem showed-up.
Why was that so serious? Because regardless of whether or not there’s reincarnation, he was a person. And we ruined his life.
I knew he wasn’t necessarily gay. …But I had little regard for other people. I was an exceptionally selfish and self-serving person. Don’t ask me to defend myself. Please.
He was fixated on my wealth. Which was normal, actually. But…not in some sort of…selfish way. Rather, Lem was just in awe of it. It was awe-inspiring. At the time.
He wasn’t…happy with us. We fibbed that part and he acted so happy with us…that it sort of stuck. We all played along. With varying degrees of guilt.
I hold my wife Rose responsible, not just myself. She knew what a bastard our son was being to him. But she didn’t care. Rose was a very selfish person too.
We all played along. But Jack was a monster.
No. Lem was straight. Like real straight. Not fake straight. You know? He didn’t find men attractive at all.
Poor idiot! …He said such stupid stuff. All these jackass pronouncements. Like how he was never lonely. Even if he meant it sarcastically…it’s dumb- You can’t say stuff like that! …People never take that sort of thing the right way. They assume you mean it literally. Jokes are best saved for certain people in certain situations. Lem…thought way too highly of himself I think in that particular situation. People…lack an ability to read our minds, Lem.
I loved Lacey. Far more than my son. It’s a joke! My son was an imbecile.
Joe…was very special. He is very special. But I understand and understood her. Not my son. My son…isn’t me.
What’s the difference? I grew-up in a pub. In Boston. And her father owned liquor stores. And nightclubs. And Lacey and I both have a morbid streak. We’re both very intelligent and depressive and intense people.
Joe was happy. I was vengeful. Lacey relates to vengeful, so what if my son has something to do with it. She’s not heartless like me though.
No. Maybe Lem would have been the one to take off with her…but I couldn’t have stood it. Not if I’m being honest. What a joke. Can you imagine Gloria from Modern Family married to one of those kids? No! That’s weird.
All these years I let it go though because I knew it was all rot. And I was evil. I wish I could say I’m a good man. I’m not.
You know even evil people are occasionally capable of love. And yes…I did love her.
You have to wonder if I ruined Lem out of jealousy myself. I think I did.
And so…we’re all poor now. I guess. Isn’t that something!? We were so rich. You know I put Lem in charge of my money. You have to ask yourself why I trusted him so much. There isn’t one man who isn’t a financier at heart who Lacey could be with for eternity. So even if there’s no reincarnation maybe our souls exist outside of the here and now. Be careful.
I’m just still astounded by how much money we had and no longer have.
Keen to Cross the Pond 