Need or Bleed

I sat on the couch to watch a movie with Brat Boy. Ten minutes later my phone rang. Cara. I ignored it. It rang again.

As I reached for the phone, I muttered a curse under my breath. Brat Boy laughed, but grabbed my wrist. “Hey Dad, are you on-call?” he asked. “You manning the ‘crazy friend needs to rant’ hotline?”

“No,” I said. “I know Cara just wants to rant and rave about the legal system. Still…”

“What do you say about situations like this? It’s good to be there for people who need you. No good to be there for people who bleed you. If she’s out of jail already, she’s got serious money and connections, and doesn’t really need you. She’s just bleeding you dry, sucking away all your sympathy.”

I turned off my phone.  Brat Boy picked up his and texted his sister. ‘Helped Dad with one of his many issues.  I’m still his favorite child.’

Today I’ll separate those who need me from those who bleed me.

Dogged Determination ©2018 by Ken Montrose

Dogged Determination is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/