Ric got in around 2:30am or so I guess, I only heard the door shut. He must have been pretty quiet since I didn't fully wake up. Checking out the scene in the kitchen this morning, doesn't look too bad...a couple dried up french fries in the sink and a crumpled Steak N' Shake bag in the trash...he obviously had the taxi stop there on the way home.
I know he makes good money and all but he does have high overhead. Credit card debt, court costs and upcoming anticipated penalties and fees due to the DUI, and now the costs of owning this condo. Of course I know my rent reduces his effective expenses regarding monthly mortgage and association fees, but I fear he would not be able to maintain his payments with out my $500 per month.
When you add in the costs of just one of these binge nights, and the fact they occur at least once or twice a week, it gets expensive indeed.
I estimate yesterday cost the following for him:
*Wings, tomato caprasi and beers at Uno's....................$30
*Tucher beers at Thirsty Whale.....................................$40
*Taxi to Parlaiment House in Orlando, 30 miles away....$35
*Drinks at P-House, cover charge, dancer tips, etc........$60
*Taxi back home, and stop at Steak N' Shake...............$45
Total for nite................................................................$210
He realizes, I think, that this lifestyle will need to change once the judges gavel is rapped down on his bench in a month or so, we expect (although this pre-trail date has been pushed back strategically by multiple docket hearings and motion hearings put forth by his lawyers for almost a year now). Although Martha and I reassure him that the case is weak and will likely be dismissed, I really don't believe that. Ric's story of the events of the night of his arrest morph slighly each time he tells it. And, ultimately, I can see in his eyes he knows he was guilty. But if he is charged, he'll likely get the minimums as prescribed by the request of the prosecutors and state law. Bitch is, state law is precise in it's constrictions placed on individual judges. The conservatives were successful a few years back in creating mandatory minimum fines and jail sentences for DUI convicts. Ric is looking at 30 days minimum in jail, 10 years revocation of driver's licence, probation, mandatory monthly drug testing, group counseling, DUI classes, etc. But the worst is it would go down not as a misdemeanor, but a felony. This could be very bad for his future with his employer. Insurance companies frown on their agents having felonies, I'm sure.
Time will tell. I do hope for the best though, yet I think he should have gotten the DUI classes and Victim's Impact out of the way before entering a plea IF he is going to plea out. But his lawyers want him to stick with it. They think they can get it reduced to Wreckless Driving. A misdemeanor and far less penalties. Also, no state law required minimum sentencing restrictions imposed on the judge.
I know he makes good money and all but he does have high overhead. Credit card debt, court costs and upcoming anticipated penalties and fees due to the DUI, and now the costs of owning this condo. Of course I know my rent reduces his effective expenses regarding monthly mortgage and association fees, but I fear he would not be able to maintain his payments with out my $500 per month.
When you add in the costs of just one of these binge nights, and the fact they occur at least once or twice a week, it gets expensive indeed.
I estimate yesterday cost the following for him:
*Wings, tomato caprasi and beers at Uno's....................$30
*Tucher beers at Thirsty Whale.....................................$40
*Taxi to Parlaiment House in Orlando, 30 miles away....$35
*Drinks at P-House, cover charge, dancer tips, etc........$60
*Taxi back home, and stop at Steak N' Shake...............$45
Total for nite................................................................$210
He realizes, I think, that this lifestyle will need to change once the judges gavel is rapped down on his bench in a month or so, we expect (although this pre-trail date has been pushed back strategically by multiple docket hearings and motion hearings put forth by his lawyers for almost a year now). Although Martha and I reassure him that the case is weak and will likely be dismissed, I really don't believe that. Ric's story of the events of the night of his arrest morph slighly each time he tells it. And, ultimately, I can see in his eyes he knows he was guilty. But if he is charged, he'll likely get the minimums as prescribed by the request of the prosecutors and state law. Bitch is, state law is precise in it's constrictions placed on individual judges. The conservatives were successful a few years back in creating mandatory minimum fines and jail sentences for DUI convicts. Ric is looking at 30 days minimum in jail, 10 years revocation of driver's licence, probation, mandatory monthly drug testing, group counseling, DUI classes, etc. But the worst is it would go down not as a misdemeanor, but a felony. This could be very bad for his future with his employer. Insurance companies frown on their agents having felonies, I'm sure.
Time will tell. I do hope for the best though, yet I think he should have gotten the DUI classes and Victim's Impact out of the way before entering a plea IF he is going to plea out. But his lawyers want him to stick with it. They think they can get it reduced to Wreckless Driving. A misdemeanor and far less penalties. Also, no state law required minimum sentencing restrictions imposed on the judge.