Our
attorney began to tell us the names
of the people we had to distance ourselves from.
My mouth fell open
No,
NO!
These people are our closest friends,
I will NOT abandon them, no way.
You need
to protect yourself,
get as far away as you can from these people
because it certainly appears as if
some of your closest friends participated
in serious abuse of corporate funds.
They will desert you if they can
save themselves.
If you don't you may well be blamed for it.
No,
no. I won't desert them!
I
was emotional,
but stood my ground
I don't think they knew
they had done anything wrong,
no one did anything intentionally
wrong here!
Look,
I've lived my whole life with the
belief that real friendship deserves
everything.
Where I come from friendship,
real friendship
will withstand character assasination,
accusations,
and even vicious legal attacks.
It is based on faith.
I have faith in them.
He
looked sympathetic,
as if he already knew something
I had yet to discover.
Friendship is not ever dictated by a third party,
I was passionate about this
If we stand together,
we can overcome it together.
That's a nice idea,
but what if they turn on you?
He asked with genuine concern.
Most people are very self serving in times
of crisis.
I shook my head in disagreement.
Not these people
they will not abandon us
we stand stong together,
as a team.
They have no reason to hide!
I want to be able to sleep at night.
He looked at me with empathy.
I won't abandon them.
He leaned forward with concern
I
would like nothing more
than to see you prove me wrong;
but honestly, I think you will be
extremely fortunate to have even
one of these people as a friend
when all of this is said and done.
I believe most will act selfishly
And will have little concern as to how
it will effect you or your family.
It's human nature.
I
left that day recalling a scene
from a movie called " The Spanish Prisoner "
It would be a statement I would recount
many times over the following weeks and months
that we waited in silence for a majority of the
people we had dedicated most of our lives to over
the past 7 years.
"
They will take what they want from you,
they will use you,
and when they are done you will notice a change.
Over time these people will distance themselves,
and being to treat you cruelly "
the rich man said.
"
But why? "
asked the prot�g�
"
To suppress their guilt."
the man replied.
"Character is what you are in the dark."
- Unknown
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