Helping a friend

I read these words tonight.........

"If you desire to help your friend, do so in a way that will not bring your friends burdens upon yourself".

It caused me to think upon a friend I once had who lived on the side of Pink Mountain.

Jake was a good ol' boy......originally from down in Florida.........moved north with an insurance settlement and two steel rods in his back from a truck accident.
Actually I suspect that he was also running from two disastrous marriages and 4 kids he couldn't handle.
A nice enough seeming guy........drawing a small disability check........which never seemed to stretch to the end of the month, although he lived alone in a two room with a bath and a sleeping loft cottage with a great view.

Both of us being veterans we had a little in common........although I only came close to divorce 6 or 8 times never tried to go for a twofer. We shared a distrust of all politicians and most political processes wherever they were.

He was always broke and needing one thing or another. Mostly fire wood since his only heat was a small wood burning stove and I had a sawmill and plenty of slabs to cut up for firewood. A group from church and I would several times a year make the pilgrimage up his steep ass road to stack wood in his yard. Much council was given on giving up the reefer and drugs and he would cry and swear never again......but could we see our way to a few dollars and he'd pay us back when his check came.

Time stretched to years and he took another woman........although we figured between his belly and hers there'd be be no chance in hell of ever consummating anything.

I should have known better............I've seen short legged Angus bulls herd in-heat cows into a gully to give him the reach he needed. Jake was almost as smart as those bulls.......I guess. Soon there is news of a pregnancy. This to two disabled people with the common sense quotient of a poodle between them.

You hate to give up on a friend............but when the demands on your time and generosity start affecting your own well being there is no choice left but to limit contact.

I hear his mother moved up from Fla. and bought them a house near her. Hope that works out well.

I wonder about them when I'm driving through the area........but I'm careful never to stop.