Carmen, Rick’s mother, loved her son dearly yet was under no illusions about his immaturity. She sensed that his upcoming marriage could either be a turning point or a stumble in his unsteady journey through life.
As the wedding day approached, Rick’s fiancée, Sandy, and her mother took joy in organizing the event, a task Carmen was deeply familiar with, having managed her daughters’ weddings. Amidst the planning, Rick contemplated the lavish expenditures of his sisters’ nuptials and decided to address what he viewed as a financial inequality.
Casually, Rick broached the subject with his mother. “Mom?” he inquired, “How much does a wedding dress cost these days?”
Carmen, taken aback, replied, “Goodness, Rita’s was $8,300! But I know they can be much more…”
Seizing the opportunity, Rick smiled and said, “Well then, I’ll take a check for $8,300!”
Carmen was stunned. “What do you mean?”
“I’m getting married and I want what my sisters received,” Rick stated. “I could really use the $8,300!”
Carmen, bewildered, reminded him, “But you said you were renting your tux! You even went with dad to pick it out!”