So, after a lengthy hiatus I have returned. Why the gap? Well, for those that know me I will admit I am, when all's said and done, monumentally lazy. For those who don't know me, I will say I was recouperating after a particularly wearying bout of monkeypox.
Well, I got promoted. It's a whole extra dollar an hour which doesn't amount to much but more than pays for my medical insurance every pay period. My additional duties include locking the store, unlocking the store, counting the safe out and counting the safe in, along with making sure everyone gives 115% while they're on shift.
One problem child I might get lumbered with is, let's call him Karl, even though it's not his real name. His real name's Kyle, but let's call him Karl just for fun.
Anyways..."Karl" has a strange setup.
He is in love with a girl. Let's call her Paula because that's her name. Karl had a good friend who used to go out with Paula. Paula claims that they split up and that the former beau attempted to rape her. This crime she reported to no-one but Karl. Karl then swore that he would never again talk to or hang out with his former friend and pledged his allegiance to the flag of Paula.
Karl is 18 and about to attend GATech, a presigious math/engineering (geek) college. His slut girlfriend is 19, attending a Florida school and is home in Atlanta for the summer break.
These are the facts Karl tells me about Paula.
She has credit cards with her name on but from her parents' account.
Her parents do not allow her to work because "what does she need money for?" (and when I asked that if the parents don't think she needs money why would they give her credit cards I just got a blank look like I'd asked a questiojn in Latin or something)
Her parents allowed her to work at a Bike Expo where whe wore skimpy clothes, served in the bar and draper herself over motorcycles.
Karl and Paula spend a lot of time together but she can't decide whether she wants to be his girlfriend or if she wants to be with her alleged rapist ex.
Paula's mother insists that Paula belongs with her former boyfriend.
Paula tells Karl that she thinks she loves him but every time she tries to tell her mother that she and he are more than friends the mother explodes in a fit of rage.
Paula has been told she cannot see Karl because she is "bad".
Now, Karl, poor lad, can't see that Paula is still sleeping with her ex who did not rape her and that her mother is concerned that Paula is abusing her friendship with Karl and stringing him along and disapproves of that mode of behaviour. He also does not see that maybe some of the things his precious Paula tells him are not 100% true and the things she says her mother has said have been passed through a "Paula Filter".
It's sad. I told him to find out what way she's heading in life and then run far and fast in the opposite direction. I told him that Paula has psychological issues that an 18 year old geek is not qualified to deal with and that she needs a man much older. Preferably with a doctorate in psychiatric medicine. I told him I was sorry to have to be the one to tell him but he needs to get out and meet other women, that Paula was probably still choking down her ex's all-meat sub every other night and that the train to "PAULA" makes stops in "SELF LOATHING", "RESENTMENT", "DISCONTENT" and "CONSTANT SUSPICION AND MISTRUST".
Then I told him that I knew he hadn't listened to a word I said and that's how I knew he was going to end up screwing up the next potentially really good relationship (at best) and a good deal of the rest of his future (at not quite worst).
Teenagers. There's finally a reason for the draft and unwinnable wars with massive casualties.
