Rick is the only boy in a family of six girls, and the last to get married, so he is expecting his mother to give him a large cash gift, but he is bitterly disappointed.
Rick Gordon was getting married and except for his faincée, he was the only person in the world who thought he was ready for such a serious commitment.
The problem was that Rick was irresponsible and spoiled, but he was also charming.
He was the seventh child — the only boy after his parents had already welcomed six girls, so Rick became everyone’s pet.
When his mother and father tried to impose discipline, one of his sisters would go around their back and Rick would get his way.
His mother, who loved her son but had no illusions about him, knew that unless Rick grew up fast he was heading for a fall, and this wedding might be the pebble that would trip him up.
Rick’s fiancée, Sandy, was happily planning the whole wedding with her mother — something Rick’s mom, Carmen, had already done six times with her own daughters.
Rick started thinking about his sister’s weddings and he decided that he was going to strike a blow for gender equality. “Mom?” he asked casually, just two weeks before the wedding, “How much does a wedding dress cost these days?”
“Goodness,” said Carmen. “The last one was for Rita and that cost $8,300! But I know they can be a lot more…”
“Well then,” said Rick smiling. “I’ll take a check for $8,300!”
“What?” gasped Carmen. “What do you mean?”
“I’m getting married and I want what you’ve given my sisters,” Rick said. “I can use the $8,300, believe me!”
“But you said you were renting your tux! You even went with dad to pick it out!” said Carmen, astonished.
“I AM renting the tux, but I think you owe me that money,” Rick said coldly. “I’m your child too! I have rights!”
“RIGHTS?” Carmen was starting to get angry. “You want money because it’s your RIGHT?”
“YES!” cried Rick, who was starting to lose his temper. “I didn’t see you quibbling over the cost of SIX wedding receptions, so why be stingy over a measly $8,300 which you can well afford?”
“I may be able to afford it,” cried Carmen, “but you don’t deserve it!”
Rick turned deadly pale. “I knew it!” he gasped. “You never loved me the way you loved my sisters, and now you’re finally showing your true colors!”
“That’s not true Rick, I love you all equally,” Carmen said. “But the truth is that you’ve taken every advantage we’ve given you for granted! You gambled away your college fund, borrowed money from your sisters you will NEVER pay back…”
“So you won’t give me the money?” asked Rick, enraged. “Sandy’s parents are giving us an apartment and $200,000 as seed money. All I wanted from you was a little pocket cash…”