Sideswipe: April 12: Principles of parking

It’s the principal who matters.

Saddest story you will read today

Vets in Plymouth, UK, scrambled to save the life of a Labrador retriever that had become an alcoholic because its late owner kept leaving his drinks outside overnight. Two-year-old Coco almost lost his life and spent a month in intensive care after becoming addicted to alcohol. Staff at the Woodside Animal Welfare Trust in Plymouth, Devon, rescued Coco and another dog after their owner passed away, but they had no idea about the problems the two canines had. It turned out that they were both alcohol addicts, and had become hooked on booze over years of enjoying open bottles that their late owner left out in the yard before going to sleep. The addiction was so bad that the other dog passed away during the withdrawal period, and Coco himself had to be sedated for four weeks.

Lean into your existential angst

Friendship over and out

Me-me-me-ness: “My relationship with my best friend ended when she became a mum martyr. The clincher was when I told her I was assaulted at work – I’m a nurse - by a full-grown man covered in poop and she responded with, ‘Well, that happens to me daily and nobody pays me’. Her oldest was seven.”

Money: “[Someone] asked to borrow money ($3000) and told me not to ask [what for], not because they needed help and trusted me, but because I ‘had a decent job and could spare some’. They badgered me that I needed to send this money within 24 hours and kept repetitively asking when the money was ready. I was worried it was a medical emergency, so I insisted they tell me why. No response except for ‘hurry up with the money.’ Turns out they got scammed, but that ended our friendship really quickly…”