Long Lost Relative Found

It looks like Y’d survive from the spider bite I suffered last Sunday. The fear of an impending death has been a product of my hyperactive imagination. My neck doesn’t bother me anymore and the tingling sensation on the right side of my face is gone. I’m starting to feel good all over. I’m on the road to full recovery.

I wonder if it was just a coincidence but at about the same time the spider bit me, I received an e-mail from a long lost relative. He found me on the internet while googling.

In his note, he told me the name of his father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He also told me the place where he grew up in the Philippines. Looking up in my family tree confirmed that we are indeed relatives. Our great great grandfathers were cousins.

The receipt of his e-mail brought a lot of excitement to me. I was very interested to know more about his side of the family. I immediately responded to his e-mail. He replied back and introduced his wife to me. I then sent him another e-mail asking if he could help me fill some of the gaps in my family tree.

A few days later, I got an e-mail from him. But it wasn’t the response I was anticipating. It was rather a request for money. He said he was in dire straits and needed to borrow money to pay a debt he owed to a friend . He added that I was the only one who could help him.

To say the least, it caught me by surprise. How could he ask this kind of favor from me? After all, we barely know each other.

I decided to consult a friend.

“Make it difficult for him to borrow money from you,” he advised. “Ask how he is going to pay and when. Be firm about it.”

He then related about his father’s experiences in China who never refused a friend or relative in need. Most of the personal loans he gave were never paid.

When I told him that we just met on the internet, my friend laughed.

“Then, you can respond to him with a ‘LOL'”.

“But he’s my relative. We share the same last name.”

He replied that if we trace back 2000 years, we’d find that we’re also relatives.

“Why don’t you lend me the money instead?,” he asked in jest.

“Seriously,” he said, “I’m not telling you what to do. But if I were you, I’d just ignore the request. Don’t even respond to his e-mail.”

I think my friend is right. I’ll follow his advice.

Perhaps my encounter with the spider was nature’s way of warning me that I should be careful of being caught in a web that i’d later regret.