Disclaimer: This must be said in my life I have seen many different dynamics so it is not our place to judge. There are many houses and many different ways that love and devotion are expressed. With that said we will express only the house of janes rules on responsibility. You as individuals must live by your own. Sir John
responsibility
There are many rules of responsibility in life but when it is all said and done it means duty or debts to someone or something but they are all assumed by an individual. I learned this the hard way when I was about fifteen when my father died. Now I could have just given up and sold the ranch but that would have meant giving up a family ranch and tradition that reached back almost a 100 years and now that our breading program was just starting to show good results I just couldn't so I assumed the responsibility at 15. At the reading of the will was when I learned that the woman who gave birth to me was still alive she left me and dad when I was 1 years old but never divorced my father even though he tried. So when he died of course she showed up. In Texas the law says that the property is divided by law so this is what my father did he left her a half acre of land and a house trailer the rest of the ranch was left to me now the trailer had no well no septic and no electricity. And that was my fathers revenge. Dad and I worked hard on the ranch him all day and me after school training horses that we sold for income and dad working part time in town for the town. I tried dear god I tried but with school and no time for a part time job and training the horses that were already promised. Well I was in court in six months and the bank was taking the ranch and back taxes where to be paid by the selling of the horses.
And this was when I learned there are responsibilities that can't be paid with money alone. Two very good looking women came to the court rail and said may it please the court we have what we think is a solution to everyone's benefit it was then I realized my lawyer was not really working in my best interest and the judge knew it he looked at my lawyer and said I am at a loss to understand your objection he waved the ladies to come before him and then saw the shorter man behind them he said Jim I see you got my letter he smiled and said I did sir and I thank you for letting me know what was happening. He walked through the rail and over to me and the lawyer and said get up your in my seat and I'm tired the look on his face to him said it all cross me and I'll kill you my lawyer stood up and moved like the coward he was this man sat down and introduced him self and said try to relax I'm here now and my lawyers will take care of this but I want you to know how sorry I am for being so late he put his hand on my shoulder and we sat while the judge read over the papers, took about an hour he looked up and said I find nothing wrong with this and it seems to satisfy all legal requirements under Texas law and make it so ordered. I looked at him then and said what just happened he smiled and said just paying an old debt I'll explain it all over dinner tonight if you don't mind I really am tired and need some sleep my lawyers will take care of you for now and I'll see you later.
When most of the others had left the judge came around the front of the bench hugged the two lawyers and said ladies see to your client to finish the paperwork he turned to the court clerk and said Sara please stay for awhile and get this filed then join us for dinner I'm going home the wife will take care of my needs tonight, why don't you put on that dress I bought you that you keep here and join us for the evening the wife will tell you where to meet us one of the lawyers turned and said we have a dinning room reserved at the cattlemen's club reserved for 7 in his name he then turned around and came to me held out his hand to shake it and said son I know this is all over your head right now but I really believe you are going to enjoy the rest of your life if I know Jim. He then remembered something ladies the lady Jane came with him didn't she the one lawyer said she will be there for dinner its just that we where rushed and did not have time to fly to N.Y. city to get her first so the plane is picking her up now. He smiled and said good.
The lawyers sat down and tried to explain all the paperwork I had to sign but at fifteen I got lost quick they where very understanding so went back over it in plan words. The man you met earlier who we call boss is your godfather he should have been told of your fathers death awhile ago and we should have been here before but something happened and we weren't told until the judge who along with your father are old friends anyway he has taken over the ranch and livestock and debts until you turn 18 at that time you can decide what to do with it. The horses are being transferred to his ranch in Colorado and that is where you will be living as well for awhile as you are not yet old enough by law to see to your own care got that? Yes I said that I understand but what about my mother won't she try to claim me? No that female will not. Sir has paid her off as well as far as we understand.
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