Not Responsible For My Student Loan Debt

That was what the entry in the Long Island Newsday Classifieds read. My then wife had posted it after one of our many arguments over the topic of money and my Student Loan Debt. I don't have an exact copy of this entry, but I suppose I could find it readily if I had the proper access--online perhaps-- to Newsday's archives; but anyway, it read something like:

"I (JD Painterguy's Wife) at such and such an address,

 am not responsible for the Debts of John Koch, 

though he be a Painterguy extraordinaire."

I might never have found out about this seemingly insignificant blurb in the Newsday, were it not for the sharp eye of  a family friend, who also happened to be an Attorney. He spotted it one Saturday or Sunday morning as he was reading the papers, over coffee perhaps.  He later called me up, and told me about it.  


And so here I go again belaboring the point about how the Student Loans caused much disharmony and distress in our humble little married household at the time, and I am actually hard pressed to remember exactly what year it was in which the above mentioned pithy disclaimer of responsibility for my student loan debt made its advent upon the World Stage.


It could have been 2001, or it could have been 2004. We were married for all of seven years, between 1999 and 2006, and my Student Loan Debt played a big role in the disruption of Peace in our Household, and the "Unblissing" if you will, of our Connubialism (if there even are such a words). It caused much stress, and many sleepless nights, with my ex-wife waking up at 2 or 3AM, worried about the Student Loans, and how they kept increasing wildly, and worrying that a Lien of some sort would inevitably be placed on the home. 


We would most often discuss the situation until 5AM or 5:30AM, sometimes getting up and making coffee or tea while we talked, then finally falling back asleep until 6AM or 6:15AM. This scene would take place over, and over, and over, and over.


And so, somewhere along the way, my Wife had read or heard, or was told by someone that publishing language in the newspaper classifieds that disclaimed liability for my debts would somehow legally absolve her of any and all responsibility for them. Completely. As in, end of story. Kaput.


It should be added that my Student Loan Debt, at the time of this posting, was the only debt I had. I had no credit card debt, or any other kind, and neither did my ex-wife. Granted, we had a mortgage, and car payments, and shared expenses for the other necessities of life. 


Of course, we later laughed about the whole classified ad thing.


But during these pre-dawn hours of distress, my reply would always come out more or less the same, and my Wife would be more or less mollified for the time:


1. Don't worry Baby, everything will be fine!
2. I sent out three more resumes today. I got a lot out there by now. Lots and lots of resumes. One of them is bound to hit.
3. It's a no-brainer. They've got to hire me. I sat through over 20 exams that were four hours long, and put in thousands of hours of classroom time. They've got to realize that, and that's got to be good enough for at least a foot in the door somewhere.
4. Just give it a little more time, you'll see.
5. Just the mere fact that I got into a Law School shows ability....right? What employer wouldn't be impressed?
6. No, I don't think they'd turn me away for a bank teller position. 
7. They don't come after your assets or your home for student loans, and will not....ever! I promise.


And on and on, until we fell asleep.




*RE: My previous Post seems to have "Run its course" I may post it yet again if there is ever another big surge in traffic. But for now I'm moving on to newer posts, and more on topic I promise.