My sister spoke for no more than two minutes br to her twenty-one year old son br from a previous marriage br now living in Florida. br “He’s gonna kill me, ” she said plopping on the couch. br “That boy’s gonna kill me.” br “What happened now? ” asked her daughter Annie. br “Crying like baby. Ma! Ma! help me! br wants to borrow $700 br don’t he know I’m down to my last dime already.” br “I thought the bankruptcy cleared that up, ” I said. br My sister looked at me, amazed br at my utter failure to grasp her financial situation. br “Of course I told him it was out of the question br then he asked if you could lend him the money.” br “Me? Well...what for? ” br “After Navin’s girlfriend dumped him he was lonely br so his father suggested a pet for company br next day that lowlife sold his own son br a supposedly ‘pure bred’ Pomeranian for $200. br Now Navin says Snowflake needs braces.” br “Never heard of such a thing, ” I said. br “Nobody ever heard of such a thing! ” br “Is he serious? ” br “The teeth ain’t aligned right, that’s what he told me br so Snowflake can’t hardy chew, shrinking away, br getting to be skin and bones says Navin.” br “The dog’s damaged goods. br Tell Navin to demand his money back.” br “I told him, I told him, ” my sister sighed wearily. br A pause. Deep breathing. Staring hard at me. br “He said he couldn’t live br through another loss.