You were drunk and did what?

So, lady calls...wants our help because she has seen on TV where we help people...you know, "on your side". That is another station. I don't bother correcting people on that one anymore. That's a completely different blog on branding that I won't get into now.  But, we are at strike 1 with the caller.

Her problem starts off relatively simple; "my husband, well ex-husband's lawyer came over to my house recently."  She continues, "And I was at my neighbor's house playing bunko". This is where I know this one is going downhill...and fast. I'm already working on my "I'll see what we can do and call you back if we can do anything" speech. If you have to include bunko in your story then we aren't going to see eye-to-eye. Yes, we are at strike 2.

But she hits the fast forward button (I'm summarizing) and says the lawyer made her sign some paperwork and she didn't know what she was signing. She claims her name was never printed on it, but she signed it...they made her sign it.  They made her sign it.

I had to ask; how did they "make you sign it?".  Her response; "Well, they knew I was playing bunko!". I'm beginning to connect the dots, but I had to ask; "what does playing bunko have to do with making you sign paperwork?". "Because they knew I was drinking!!" she responds.  I can only supply silence.

Strike 3.

She couldn't understand why I wouldn't do anything to help her. He took out a loan on the house under her name because she signed this paperwork. Trust me, I legitamely feel sorry for her. We've all done things when drinking that we regret.  One time when I was drunk....oh, nevermind.

Back to our caller, I had to be fully honest with her and explain that I just couldn't see how we could go on TV with her story when her main defense was "I was playing bunko and they knew I would be drunk". I had to repeat to her why we couldn't help. I couldn't believe I had to repeat it.

I wanted to finish the conversation with some advice from Dean Vernon Wormer; "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life".  But I thought my silence did it justice.  She is going to call another station and maybe they will help. I hope she can "count on" another station.