Sometimes I don't know who drives me more meshugah, my wife or my daughter. I love them both to pieces, but sometimes...

Case in point: Tomorrow night, WWE "Smackdown" comes to Pittsburgh. Jess and 3 of her friends wanted tickets. I've learned from experience that Ticketmaster's surcharges & shipping charges approach outrageous, and that if you want decent seats, you don't wait. So 2 months ago, when this was announced, I walked up to Consol at lunch time and bought the tickets.

I've also learned from experience that the friends sometimes have a tendancy to bail. I didn't feel like getting stuck with 3 $35 tickets (I don't mind buying Jess hers, of course), or worse... having to USE one of the tickets myself *ugh*. So I tried to insist that the tickets be paid for right after I got them. Then if a kid bails, it's their problem, not mine.

Of course, my wife puts the kibosh on that plan. Don't I trust the kids? (No) So I've had to wait until tomorrow for the ticket money.

And, you guessed it... one kid bailed today. She claims that she has a doctor's appointment at 7 PM that she didn't know about, until her mother told her yesterday. Riiiiight. Translation: Either she didn't bother to ask in advance, or permission was denied for one reason or another, or she changed her mind (or didn't have the shekels).

My wife's attitude? "Oh well. What did you expect?" *sigh*

My daughter's? "Dad, I'm SORRRRRRRRRY." So, did you tell your friend she still owes me for the ticket? "But Dad, she said if she's not going, her parents won't let her PAY for it!" *sigh*

I must have "sucker" tattooed on me somewhere where I can't see it.