So years ago, at a funeral for one of Wifey's college friends' sisters, we encountered another old friend -- long divorced, but now with a new serious girlfriend. We chatted briefly with her -- Jewess from Queens -- and when we got home Wifey the Snoop said "That woman is RICH." I asked how she knew, and she saw signs -- very expensive jewelry and purse and clothing, apparently -- all of which was lost on me. I just saw an average looking lady who could easily have blended in with the girls I grew up with on LI. Wifey set about checking.
She was correct. The woman was still married to, but separated from a YUUUGELY successful guy, in the aviation business, who some years before had moved his operations from JFK to MIA. His name was, and still is, I guess, Ira.
Some weeks after that, Wifey ran into the sort of ex at a salon, and they chatted -- Wifey knew her boyfriend, like I did, since 1984 -- he was married to Wifey's roommate, and though a lawyer, was always kind of lazy and never did all that well -- but -- was a nice guy, and certainly suitable arm candy to a woman in the social scene -- the fellow was always a VERY sharp dresser.
Wifey asked why she and her husband never divorced, and the answer cracked me up: "Ira says he just can't bear to go online and look at his brokerage investment balances and see them cut in half." So they decided, I guess, to live their separate lives but leave that crucial account, and others, I'm sure, intact.
Meanwhile, the boyfriend got a new nickname from me: "The luckiest guy in Miami." His FaceBook (tm) pix went from Disney to REAL Paris. Idiots like me and my buddies busted our asses making money -- this Dude, like a hermit crab, just sort of found the right shell to live in.
But anyway, I thought about Ira this week. We decided to reallocate some family finances, and when I checked my online brokerage balances, I was like "Hey -- where'd those funds go?" I knew, of course, but I summoned Ira in my mind.
It's a nice problem to have, of course. I never dreamed the finances would become what they have -- let alone that I could set up the Ds and their families the way we have.
A friend was complaining the other day about his son's expenses -- but won't really do anything to cut them off. I suggested he re-focus his POV. His son, in his late 20s, has already had more fun than my friend has in his early 60s -- on Dad's dime! So savor that -- while you're alive, I said. The boy's gonna get the money someday, anyhow -- might as well get the vicarious thrills of hearing about the trips and parties now.
Meanwhile, my Canes are at halftime -- up 10-7 on an inferior SMU team, largely because they're playing like crap. Same thing happened last week against inferior Stanford -- it was ties 7-7, but then the Green and Orange woke up and dominated. Hopefully that happens now.
Either way, I plan to finish my perambulations after the game, and chill this evening. Tomorrow we have plans with Joelle and Kenny to see the new Springsteen movie and then dinner in the Grove. It's that most wonderful time of the year -- the weather is finally non-tropical.
I wonder what Ira is up to...
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