Leaving The Nest

Steven, Trish & Martin's 21 year old son, has moved out of the nest. Actually, he was pushed out. This has been interesting to watch. Trish & Martin have told me what is going on. They feel that he was getting too comfortable living here at home with mom and dad. He got his meals, laundry, roof over his head.

He works as a driver for Dominos Pizza. He doesn't go to school. He decided not go to college or join the service. He doesn't really know what he wants to do.

The straw the broke the camel's back was Stevens refusal to pay rent, or to pay rent in a timely manner. Last year the parents decided to charge him a token amount of rent for his room and board. Not much, but enough to make him notice. He would often pay very late because of other priorities, primarily nights out drinking with his friends, or new music CD's. Plus, he is a total slob. Trish & Martin are afraid to go in his room. It looks like a war zone. There are stale pizzas rotting under the bed. Half the house's dished are probably lost in there somewhere. No one has seen the floor in years.

So on Dec 1st they had him move out. Typical Trish style, she took care of all the details. She found him an apartment and paid the deposit. She got the utility services and telephone turned on. She got him a car loan and then found him a good deal on a used car. She co-signed the car loan ($5000). And she and Martin rounded up or bought furnishings.

A friend of Stevens moved into the apartment with him as a roommate to help pay rent. The roommate is this girl I've met here before when she has joined the family for dinner. I don't like her very much. She seems shifty and lazy. Adam confirmed this to me one day a couple of weeks later when he told me that the same girl stole $200 from Adam's grandmother. This girl doesn't work, lives on welfare right now, and according to Steven, just sits around and gets stoned on pot all day. Steven is getting tired of her. He said that she doesn't even go out to look for a job.

It's been three weeks now. Steven comes over here for dinner at least twice a week because he is broke and doesn't have any money for food at his apartment. Of course after dinner he goes home with lots of leftovers. He also brings his laundry home. He seems to be trying hard. Trish told me that he has managed to keep the apartment fairly clean, at least cleaner than his old room here. It is funny to see him get irritated at his roommate who is lazier than him.

I hope he succeeds. Next week the first rent check and car payments are due. Trish & Martin swear that he is not coming back if he gets kicked out.