I talked to my son. He told me he had gotten a letter from his dad, too. The only thing that got through to him will be in bold.

John,

I have no other way to get ahold of you than this. You don't have a phone, I don't have the time and if I was to see you face to face, I'd probably punch you. You mention that you wanted to get a part time job one day a week to make some extra money. I have been considering hiring you at the same rate of pay that you get at Home Depot to do a bunch of miscellaneous jobs for me. I have now reconsidered hiring you and will not. Instead, I will pay extra to hire somebody else that I can count on to do the job when they say they're going to do the job. To show up when they say they're going to show up and be responsible. The only thing that you have shown me on the tile job for your mother is that you can take money from family and with no sense of shame turn around and say "I will get to you when I damn well want to whether I promised you I would show up on a certain day or not." I thought I had raised you better, but apparently I haven't. That is my fault. I consider it your fault that you don't have enough pride in your own word to live up to it. As far as I am concerned, and I don't know how your mother feels about this, you are FIRED! When I get back from Vancouver, I will either do the tile work or Dolphin Tile will do the tile work, but you are fired.

From this point on, when it comes to money, we are even. You do not own me a dime. BUT DO NOT EVER, EVER ASK ME FOR ANY MONEY FOR ANY REASON! I will no longer be taken advantage of in that I seem to be your own private lending institution but you don't have any responsibility. The next money you will receive from me will be from my trust fund when I'm dead.

I have been extremely disappointed in all of you kids at various times, but I have NEVER been as disappointed in any of my children as I am in you at this present moment.

If and when you read this, I will probably be back in Vancouver. Don't call, don't write, don't email. I don't want to talk to you right now. I will decide when I get back from Vancouver if and when I want to talk to you again.

I know this sounds harsh but it's been a long time coming. I will never stop loving you but right now I sure as hell don't like you.

Dad