 |
 |
 |
. . . continued from previous page |
| . |
"I know my checkbook isn't as neat as yours, but I'm not broke!"
replied Chuck, becoming a little nervous that someone as smart as his brother could
think otherwise.
"Humph," replied Jerome, arranging Chuck's papers on the desk in neat piles.
"Look at this," he muttered, something catching his eye. "I've never
seen so many late charges in all my life!" Jerome was well aware that he was
making Chuck feel degraded and embarrassed. "I guess you forgot to make enough
notes," he commented, snidely. Jerome had done a complete work of making Chuck
feel humiliated.
"Is there anything else?" asked Chuck, wishing to escape his older brother's
cold gaze.
"We have a lot to settle, yet," replied Jerome. "I spent the better
part of this morning on the phone with my lawyer. I informed him of our situation
and he advised me what to do. The first step is to get a court to appoint me your
legal guardian." Jerome continued to organize the stacks on the desk. "It
means I'll be the one legally responsible for your care-- financial and otherwise.
The legal grounds for appointment of a guardian include mental conditions such as
Alzheimer's disease, so we shouldn't have much trouble there."
"Legal guardian?" repeated Chuck, disbelievingly. "I'm not helpless!
I can still take care of myself, you know."
"Are you, really," Jerome replied, dryly.
"I'm not handing my financial responsibilities over to you. I can take care
of it myself," insisted Chuck. Jerome looked at his brother with his cold, deep-set
eyes.
"I don't know why your kicking. I really don't," said Jerome. "You
have no choice, and neither do I. If the disorder of your financial affairs hasn't
quite convinced you, then I'll tell you a story. Dad once signed a check to pay the
phone bill, and it cost him twenty-five thousand dollars because he transposed the
numbers. By the time I caught it, it was too late. One of the workers at the phone
company skipped with the check and cashed it before I had time to stop it. And when
Dad and Mom didn't have enough money to meet their needs, who do you think footed
the bill? Whether you like it or not, you're my burden."
"But is it necessary to have a legal guardian?" asked Chuck.
"For your information," began Jerome, "admittance to a nursing home
may only be arranged by a legal guardian." The words "nursing home"
rang in Chuck's ears. "You're going to have to face it, sometime," Jerome
said, seeing the disturbed look on his brother's face. "What are we supposed
to do with you when we can no longer take care of you at home? You must consider
the position your family will be in." Chuck hung his head. Vera never wanted
to place Arnold in a nursing home, but there did come a time when she had no other
alternative. "My lawyer advised me to get this squared away with before you're
not able to give your consent," continued Jerome. "Many don't want to face
it and put it off, making it ten times harder to do, later. You don't have to look
so concerned," laughed Jerome, "I'm not doing this so I can steal your
money! You have none!"
"O.K.," sighed Chuck, resigning himself to the fact that a nursing home
was in his future.
"That brings us to our next topic," continued Jerome, "Charlie."
"What about Charlie?" asked Chuck, alarmed.
"This was my lawyer's idea, entirely," Jerome prepared his brother, "I
don't want to do it, but she is my niece. Blood is thicker than water, and I won't
have any niece of mine shipped off to any foster home."
"What do you mean!" exclaimed Chuck, not sure if he heard Jerome correctly.
"According to my lawyer, the law requires that there must be an adult who is
legally responsible for the care of unmarried minors under the age of eighteen. If
the the parents are unable to care for the child, say for instance you're no longer
mentally able to take responsibility for Charlie, then it is possible that the Child
Welfare System could become involved."
"The Child Welfare System!" exclaimed Chuck.
"Must you parrot everything I say?" asked Jerome, impatiently. "Now
where was I? Oh, yes, the Child Welfare System. Anyway, intervention might lead to
the placement of the child, in foster care."
"How can it be prevented?" asked Chuck, fighting back panic. |
 |
continued on next page . . .
|
|
 |
 |
|