Delusions of Control

My friend J.Lo has a sister-in-law (SIL) who had prearranged to buy Party Light merchandise from J.Lo. This has been ongoing for several months and SIL has been fairly reliable and responsible. J.Lo didn't mind helping out SIL because, although she's not blood family, J.Lo figured SIL wouldn't screw her.

Well, SIL ordered several hundred dollars of merchandise over the past two months and has not paid J.Lo. On Friday J.Lo was very upset about the problems this is causing between her husband and her. He blames J.Lo for trusting SIL to begin with and is making her life miserable. It's not like they can afford to carry the SIL. J.Lo's brother, acquiesces to his wife and doesn't want to "get involved".

We were talking about a persons perceived sense of control and power in certain situations. J.Lo feels her SIL is purposely causing drama because her life is so unhappy and out of control. This may or may not be the cause, but what I told J.Lo is how foolish her SIL is for burning the bridge she shared with J.Lo. No amount of damage control will erase the lost trust and respect J.Lo once had for her. It's gone. Why do some people have to go through life always pushing the envelope?

If I treat you with respect, damn right, I expect the same in return. But I also subscribe to the belief that Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! J.Lo hasn't decided what she's going to do about the debt she's left with. Of course, SIL has possession of the merchandise, so that's a moot point. We left it at what goes around, comes around. A person can only burn so many bridges before they're singed themselves!