Delt Loans and Bad Outcomes
I’ve been watching with keen interest some heavy-duty reconstruction at the Delt House, right next door to us here at Theta Chi. They just got a brand new loan of $250,000. It’s well secured by the property — a great big gorgeous corner lot, two blocks from the Oregon campus. The money is to be used for a new roof, new heating systems, new windows, exterior painting, other odds and ends, here and there. All sounds good. Right? It’s not. Here, in a small capsule, is why.
On the last day of final examinations — as lovely a Friday in June as it’s possible to get — a bunch of Delts are playing basketball on the Theta Chi basketball court. ++ They are having a great time. Shirts off, shooting hoops, exams completed, life is good for these “frat boys”. Next door there are workmen all over their House; the improvements are beginning to show. They tell me they are already assured of a House filled to “maximum capacity” next Fall. Ain’t it great! What’s not to be happy about?
I honestly didn’t want to rain on their parade, but I couldn’t help engaging them with some troubled observations that something was very wrong in the picture here.
The conversation with these kids went something like this:
Hibbs: Guys, I know you have borrowed a ton of money to get the work done on your House. Right?
Kids: Yup, sure have.
Hibbs: Well I see there are about three or four painters over there doing work that you guys could have been doing. In fact, what you are doing is paying them about $14 an hour for work you could easily do yourself.
Kids: Huh?
Hibbs: Here’s my problem guys. I’m of the “old school” and take debts very seriously. Whenever possible, I try to avoid them or reduce them where I can.
Kids: Hey’ Gramps - what’s this got to do with us? You tryin’ to ruin our fun? Are you sayin’ we should be doing the painting? Shit, man, that’s what we hired those guys to do!
Hibbs: Let’s try another track. How many of you are looking for summer jobs that pay what those guys over there are being paid?
Kids: (long faces) “Jobs are really scarce”. “bad economy” “I’ll start looking next week.” “Hey, Gramps, what’s this shit about?” “you don’t like us or sumpin?”
Hibbs: To himself, disgusted, walking away..Do I really need to spell this out? Do I really need to shake you by the neck and yell in your face? How come you don’t already know you are spoiled ass-holes and don’t freaking deserve the House you are going to live in next Fall. Or this baskeball court. Or the easy life of a frat rat drifting through college paid for with government loans, daddy’s money, flim-flam here and there. Kee-Riist! What’s wrong with this generation? Don’t they ever think there might be bills to pay? work to do? obligations to reduce? responsibilities to uphold. grrrrrr grrrrr grrrr
++(I’ve allowed that not just because Theta Chi brothers have been ousted from their House but, more important, I think such gestures might help improve what has been an ugly relationship between both for a very long time.)