No, that is not my old car. It's been generations since America knew how to build cars with real style. But it reminds me of how much of a relic I have become in my old age.
- - - - - -
Like old cars, old friendships have their costs of maintenance. In the case of DCD, I owed him for helping me move furniture, so that my (then) new carpet could be installed. So, I figured that I could pay him back by offering him my old car at a below market price. And this is where the problem comes up. DCD is not paying me the money he owes me in a timely manner.
My brother and I talked about DCD a while back, and he figured that DCD would skip out on his payments. Although I also figured this would happen, I am not bothered too much - the old car is out of my parking spaces, and is now his responsibility. The other day, DCD told me that he failed to get "permanent" plates put on the car because he couldn't get in for an emissions test on time. Dollars to donuts that this is a BS excuse from him. Instead, RQS and I both think it is because he doesn't have the money to register the car in his legal state of residence - Connecticut.
DCD had major health problems a few years back, and maintains legal residency at his (ex) girlfriend's house. Ideally, he should find out how to switch his legal residence to New York (where he is a de facto resident), while keeping his Obamacare/Medicaid coverage. But he doesn't do this. As a result, he is paying an extra tax on the value of the car so that he can legally register the car in Connecticut, not jeopardizing his official Connecticut residency.
- - - - - -
Do I think I will ever get all of the money DCD owes me? No. He is not a responsible person. He avoids awkward situations, as I did almost 30 years ago - before I was forced to grow up. Right now, he doesn't have a pot to piss in, and in late middle-age, that's a very bad thing. I'm grateful I don't have his life to live.
