MEComposing

Believe me, at the height of my pregnancy, I have verbally abused my own Dad for his attitude about lending money, and then harassing us later on to go get back the loan for him.

I was (still am) upset with him because, although we're not poor, we're not exactly rolling in money. And just the thought of them breaking their backs working in the US (Dad is now a gardener, Mom is a caregiver) just to build a life for my sister there hurts me to no end. It's not that I don't appreciate nor understand the sacrifice they're making, but I hate that they are still working that hard when they're already in their 60s. And that's just it, they are making lots of sacrifices... so why would my Dad just lend tons of money to people who haven't even paid their previous loans, right?

I can go on and on about my Dad but the title of this post is "a rant on borrowers" and I just want to rant about someone specific.

We have been trying to get back my dad's money since last year but still haven't even gotten paid a cent. I know, one problem with such cases is that few people actually go to jail for owing money, and sending borrowers to court is so much hassle. But I am really at my wits' end with this woman. She has promised so many times that she'd pay, we've even gotten several promissory notes signed by her etc. but still nothing!

We just can't give up on her because my Dad insists we get his money back. And I do want to get that money and deposit it in my Mom's account to replenish her savings. I don't know how else to force the borrower's hand to pay!

And it's not like we're being very irrational. But the woman herself wouldn't go out of her way to come up with a payment scheme. We have come up with different staggered payment schemes for her but she just hasn't made any initial payment! And it's not like they're super poor either, they sell rice in the Lipa market. And again, it's not like we're asking for hundred thousands upfront... grrr.

And then she'd have the audacity to remind us that she only borrowed money from my Dad and that she isn't a bad person! That, of course, makes me gnash my teeth some more! I literally told her that she shouldn't dare say she's not a bad person because she has been intentionally causing us grief with collecting.

I'm just confined to home mostly so I literally cannot go pull her hair right now, and use her face to wipe some floor. I am absolutely hopping, fuming mad! Grr. Maybe next weekend, i'd really personally pay her a visit. It seems she never got truly scared of my Mom and my brother... so let's see if I can't set her right.

Grrr.

The thing is, I know how cruel I get when i'm mad... which was why I avoided meeting her all those times before because I didn't want to be super mean to someone. I also always remind myself that this woman is a Mom like me, that she has kids who must love her and depend on her.

Dang it.

*~*

Which is why I really don't intend to ever loan money to someone, unless I can really do without that sum. Because getting back a loan is just so hard, and few borrowers have the integrity to even come to you and discuss how they can pay, or what's keeping them from paying.