My cousin and I both work in the ** department, I am the director of the county-level unit, and he is the deputy director of the city-level unit. During my tenure, we have been in close contact with each other, helping each other and getting things done together. However, shortly after his retirement, when I asked him for help, he did not hesitate to refuse.
Of the 15 cousins of my generation in our family, he was one of the most developed. He was promoted from a county-level unit to a city-level unit, and eventually became the deputy director of the municipal bureau. Every year, we would have a family reunion, and my cousin, although not the oldest, was the highest, always sitting on the throne. It was a matter of course that he should sit on the throne, and they held him in great esteem, and he was quite prestigious. He often said that as long as there is something, even if he asks him, he will try his best to help if he can solve it, and he will try his best to handle it if he can't solve it.
However, as far as I know, he doesn't have a very good reputation in the family. Two cousins once asked him for help, but it didn't work out, which was a bit disappointing. On another occasion, although he helped to do it, the cost was far more than expected, and it was much more expensive than finding someone else to do it.
The two tasks I helped him with were successfully completed. I once told him that as a municipal leader, it should be easy to deal with such a small matter, right? He just smiled bitterly and said that the county officials are not as good as taking charge of the current situation, and some things will inevitably encounter difficulties.
He asked me for help and promised me that I wouldn't waste my efforts. With my help, he managed to win the project and make a huge profit. He didn't treat me badly either, and gave me two good cigarettes.
On another occasion, his relatives were stopped by traffic police at the door of their home for drunk driving and were taken away on suspicion of drunk driving. He couldn't find an acquaintance, so he turned to me for help. I only had to pay a symbolic fine to get him out.
He was grateful to me and said that he would definitely invite me to dinner if he had the chance. However, for years, he has not kept his promises. Every time we met, I said that I would invite me next time, but gradually I stopped looking forward to it.
A few years ago, I wanted to transfer my grandson to a school in the city center, and he helped. Although he asked for 20,000 yuan, claiming that it was for entertainment, I knew that the price was a bit high. But I have to admit that this is also the price to pay for getting things done.
My wife once told me that if I had known about this, I would have done it to someone else, because it would not only cost money, but also owe him favors.
Last year, I retired. My grandson's high school entrance examination results are not satisfactory, and I hope to arrange for him to enter an excellent high school. I contacted him again, but he shirked it for various reasons, and even bluntly said that he couldn't handle it. However, I learned that he had already helped others secure spots.
Perhaps, my relatives were right about him. He was close to me, probably just because I was useful. Now that I'm retired and out of power, I don't need my help anymore.
In today's society, human feelings are as thin as paper. Classmates, friends, and relatives are all relationships that take advantage of each other. If you don't have any use value, no one will pay attention to you.
At critical moments, it is still reliable. No matter who you rely on, you might as well rely on yourself. Therefore, I will nurture my children well so that the next generation can make a difference.