A conservative couple who favored their little son above their older daughter experienced karma when the child grew up to be a pain in their neck.
John and Mary were old-fashioned. Everyone on their block was aware of this reality. They behaved differently than their neighbors and held distinct views.
One of their most important beliefs was that female children are less essential than male children. They had two children: a son named Junior and a daughter named Lydia.
Junior was the younger of the two, yet he got all of his parents’ attention and empathy because he was a male. Lydia was largely neglected until it was time to do the housework. They didn’t care about her, and if she approached them with problems she needed to solve, they would shut her up.
“Mom, my last pair of serviceable pants just got ripped,” she told her mother one day. “Can I have some money to purchase another pair?”
“No you can’t,” her mother said. “Your brother just got a new Playstation console and it was not cheap, you’ll have to manage those pants that way for the time being.”
Later that day, her mother forced her to use scissors to cut off her jeans at the knees. That way, no one would know it had been ripped.
Lydia lived her life in this manner; as her brother grew older, her parents focused more attention and resources on him. Meanwhile, they continued to treat her like a housemaid, which her brother, Junior, immediately caught up on.
He would boss her around, and rather of allowing her to teach him a lesson, her parents would defend him, sometimes even spanking her in front of him to soothe his rage after a battle.
Their disagreements became so fierce one day that her brother expressed his desire to be an only child.
“I hate you Lydia and it would have been better had I been the only child dad and mom had to care for,” he said.
“I wish that was the case as well, then you would have to clean up your own mess or have them do it for you instead!” Lydia retorted.
Her responses usually irritated her brother, and it just fueled his hatred towards her. Lydia could only find a break when she went to visit with her grandfather over the summer.
Junior typically went to a well-funded music camp, but God forbid they spent the same amount of money on Lydia, so they just handed her over to her grandfather, who adored her.
Like Lydia, his parents ignored him and only called him when they needed something. Her parents once missed to pick her up from her grandfather after summer vacation. It made her upset, but her grandfather lifted her spirits by bringing her shopping.
She was overjoyed because all of her garments had become too patched for ongoing usage. It made her resolve to stay with him permanently, and she informed her parents.
“Dad, mom, I just wanted to let you know I prefer to remain with grandpa for some more time,” she told them over the phone.
She had hoped to hear their disagreement, but instead, they appeared enthusiastic about the whole idea. “That’s great news, Lydia,” her mother exclaimed.
“We can have your remaining things delivered to you in less than a day!” her father exclaimed.
Lydia’s heart broke as she realized they had been waiting for her to make such an offer. Still, she knew it was for the best, so she opted to accept her decision. Phone contacts with her parents grew irregular after that, eventually reducing to only two per month.
It lasted that way for years, even when Lydia left to college. Finally, after graduation, she returned to the city, but she was left without a job or a place to live.
She called her parents to beg whether she could move back into her former room, but they refused, stating it had been converted into Junior’s music room.
“Your brother is going to be a big deal, Lydia, we just know it, that’s why we’re all making these sacrifices,” they told her.
Her grandfather ᴅɪᴇᴅ few months after she graduated, but her parents did not attend the burial. For days, she moped around his house, lamenting his ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ and remembering him for his goodness.
One day, she heard a knock on her door and answered it to find a notary who worked for her grandfather. According to the man, her grandfather left her a large sum of money to inherit.
Apparently, the elder guy had been saving it his entire life and, when he ᴅɪᴇᴅ, had planned for Lydia to inherit everything. She was wealthy. Her parents learned about the situation and promptly called her.
“Hey Lydia, how have you been?” her father asked. Her mother skipped the pleasantries altogether.
“Lydia, we heard about your inheritance,” she said. “Your brother is moving to college and he has requested a new apartment. Be a good older sister and send money for it as a gift.”
“That’s why you called?” Lydia asked.
“Of course, why else would we call? You’re obviously doing fine,” her mother answered nonchalantly.
In the end, Lydia refused. She also broke all relations with her family and continued on with her life.
Several years later, she got a call from her parents. They tried to apologize for how they had treated her, but Lydia knew there was always more to them.
“Why have you really reached out to me?” she asked.
“Your brother stole a huge amount of money from the family safe and has disappeared,” her mother cried. “We are penniless and we need your help!”
Lydia wanted to be upset, but she ultimately chose forgiveness. She sent them money but said she would not help them again. She wanted them to know they were forgiven, but she also cautioned them that their offenses would not be forgotten.
