I just watched another Dr. Phil show about an older woman catfished out of her life savings by an African con artist. I think Phil's done three shows on this topic. I sit here shaking my head and wondering how these women can be so fricking stupid. And then I remember that one of the men in my past was a con of a similar kind. Yes, even I was once conned by a romance crook.
It happened about twenty-five years ago when I was participating in the singles scene through a newspaper and dance venue called The Little Black Book. The dances were a lot of fun, I must admit. However, I didn't meet this guy in person. He called me after he saw my picture in the paper, and he thought I was cute. We met and started dating. I ignored so many red flags that had I been a bullfighter I'd have been torn to shreds. We didn't date for long, and I didn't lose much money to him, but I may have continued to ignore those red flags if he hadn't committed a fatal mistake by making a pass at my friend Cheryl. She didn't want to tell me, but I'm so glad she did because he and I were DONE at that moment. Unlike these women on TV who were presented with tons of evidence of fraud and then continued to defend the guy, I needed no more. Getting out of his grip was tricky, but he wasn't dangerous, and he quickly moved on to his next patsy. I wonder if he watched today's show from a jail cell? I sure hope so.
There's lonely. And there's stupid. I've been both. But these women on TV are probably also mentally ill. Perhaps "love sick" should be a certifiable and treatable mental illness for the geriatric set. Old people get foolishly stubborn. (I should know; trying to talk me out of one of my political opinions is futile.) But how can one get so old that wisdom doesn't come with age? Shouldn't this woman have seen enough of life to know better? And why is she so lonely? She has children and grandchildren. She has family. Right?
Wrong. Seems like she's been hugging that computer instead of the family tree.
We are so caught up in the busyness of our daily lives. I live only an hour and a half from my nieces, yet maybe I see them once a month? And even then, only between their sleepovers with their friends. That's not much of a family life for me. In fact, it helps to have Facebook to see what's happening in their lives. Don't misread me because I am not complaining. (I get awfully cranky when I'm around anybody too much.) But those golden olden days, days when a social life meant being with the family, have gone the way of rotary phones and party lines. I'm guessing Norma, the seventy year old from today's show, misses them and went looking for love in all the wrong places.
Keep an eye on the old people in your lives. Talk to them frequently. Bring the grandkids around to visit. Invite them to dinner. And the moment Grandma mentions the new boyfriend, invite him to dinner too. If anyone asks what's on the menu, tell them fried catfish.
