They are very close relatives, and I probably should at least acknowledge the anniversary, but these people are mooching, self-absorbed and self-centered. They are setting an example that their daughter has decided to follow: Heck, if we can't pay for it, let someone who actually works really hard for a living pay!!

I have decided to totally ignore the request and the anniversary. Although being a member of this family for almost 20 years, I have never received an acknowledgement of my birthday or anniversary from these people. When my daughter was hospitalized several times for surgeries, they never visited her at the hospital, and didn't even call to see how she was doing until 48 hours after the surgery. She was in a hospital over an hour from home, so I didn't expect people to visit (although tons did, showing how truly caring they were), but she was home recuperating for almost a month after each operation, and they only live 15 minutes from us. They never even stopped in. Believe me, I could go on and on about the various shameful ways that they've acted, but I won't bore you.

I may be a tad bitter, but I am so sick of being the better person in this relationshi. I've decided that I'm drawing the line at this latest bold and ill-mannered move. I think that to acknowledge this request for money would be to somehow condone it, so I'm going to act as if it doesn't exist.