Between a rock and hard place? May 6, 1985

 

Dear Suzanne:

Life in Ohio right now sounds wonderful. I’m glad you found someone with whom you can share things.

The soap opera around here has settled down to a dull routine. Pauly is back with the band and has somehow talked Garrick into playing a few songs with them each night. Garrick is shy about it, but plays well, and he even sings.  This gives John a bit more space to do his solos and gives a whole new face to their music. It’s almost like a real band again – if people only knew.

Life for me personally has become a bit more complicated. Not so much because of my breakup with Fran – although I still love her deeply. In fact, our parting of ways is something of a relief because we both knew it could not last.

No, my trouble comes from my ex-wife who has put us both in a bit of a legalistic jam.

A week and a half ago I got a summons to appear in family court in Paterson. May ex-wife’s welfare is looking for repayment.

Good ole Ronnie Reagan signed a bill in January that created very strict penalties for fathers who do not help welfare in the raising of our kids.

Back in November, I told my ex-wife to tell welfare where I was and that I was more than willing to pay something towards her check. Unfortunately, she chose to play the old game of collecting from both of us. I don’t exactly blame her considering how little welfare expects her to survive on.

Yet, the law is the law and welfare cheating is a crime.

After talking to a few lawyers, I came away even more depressed since they told me not only can welfare hit me up for current payments, but they could demand payment going back years if they wished.

While I can prove that I gave my ex-wife money fairly consistently over the last three or four years, if I do so, then welfare will charge her with fraud, sending her to jail and my daughter to a forester home.

The last lawyer I spoke to said she would get a year in jail at least.

Even if they don’t hit me up for what I allegedly didn’t pay in the past, welfare is ruthless and could take as much as 50 to 75 percent of my current income.

Although I propose to make some sort of deal, my lawyer said the family court may still want blood, needing to balance their ledgers, even if it means driving me broke in the process.

“They always get their pound of flesh,” the lawyer said.

Turning to a lighter side, Pauly, Rick and Alf are feverishly attempting to finish their children’s book. Part of it is Pauly’s desperation to get out of Passaic, and shed himself of his job at Fotomat, and perhaps once again get out of the band.

The band, he said, won’t last forever.

I think he fears he’ll get trapped in Fotomat for the rest of his life. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Anyway, enough said. I wish you happiness with your new man and that you get everything you’ve ever dreamed of

 

Sincerely yours

Al Sullivan

 

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