NIU

Bill consolidators

Posted by Stacy on Sunday, April 13, 2008 7:43 PM

My mom called me today and was confiding in me about the amount of debt they have accumulated since dad lost his job last year. He was working for a large corporation, and had a very nice salary and benefits package. He had been with the company since I was a kid. As he began to near retirement, they forced him out, as is happening in so many companies these days. In any case, they had really counted on him working for at least 6 more years. Now, they are beginning to fall behind on their bills and have to make some big lifestyle changes and Dad is becoming really depressed. Mom says that he feels as if he has failed her, and now she has to return to work (something she has not done in 20 years). At 52 that is a tough transition to make. She is handling it okay; however, my father is not.

She says she has began dealing with debt consolidators to lower some of their monthly payments. Dad doesn't even know about the bill consolidation, as she feels it is best not to make him aware that this is where they are at right now. She is afraid that he will get so depressed that he might even commit suicide. My father has always seemed like the rock of the family, so hearing all this about debt consolidation and suicide thing just really has me rattled. I guess when we are little, our parents are the all knowing, take care of everything people. This is by far my first dose of seeing my parents as actual fallible human beings and quite honestly, it is a little frightening. I guess I kind of liked it better when they knew everything and were protecting me from the world. Now in their time of crisis I am not really sure what I can do to help.

I am seriously considering taking the fall semester off from school to help them. After all, I can work and help take care of the house and stuff. Also, Dad and I have always been tight, and maybe I can help raise his spirits a little. I know if I suggest it to them, they will say absolutely not, but I really feel that I need to help take care of them, the way they have always taken care of me.