Editor’s note: Recently in The Voice, the announcement was made of the death of the conductor of the column, Ask Grandpa, which provided readers with 503 weeks of sage advice, humor, and continuity. Below is the repeat of the June 24, 2021 column. The Voice will continue to offer previous columns. We invite special requests of previous columns.
Grandpa,
Several months ago, I sold my car to my son. That car is a classic and should remain as the thing was originally built. Well, he has no respect for anything. He has it jacked up on ugly spoked wheels, a sound system that can be heard from blocks away, a back-up camera and (Grandpa will not continue the list of changes in order to maintain the anonymity of writer and his family) He is completely ruining my car. I want to take it back, but he has already had the title changed into his name.
Grandpa says: In your opinion he is completely ruining his car. You sold it to him. Unless he owes you money on it, you cannot claim anything on it as being yours. His car, his life, his choices. Let him be the man you raised him to be.
Grandpa,
My husband used to give a co-worker a ride to work every day. In time, the co-worker started coming around socially. At first, I liked the man. Later we developed a (more intimate relationship). Last winter the man lost his job, mostly due to his drinking. As his drinking got worse, I did not want him coming around anymore. I told my husband about the deeper relationship. We worked through that and are on the road to recovery. Lately I have seen the man driving. He appears to be drunk when I see him. How do I handle it? Do I call the police? I cannot prove he is drunk and they have no other probable cause to stop him when he is driving. He did not have a license when I met him, but he could have gotten one. I just want him off the road before he hurts someone.
Grandpa says: If you make a direct complaint, count on him looking to retaliate. I’d suggest you discuss the issue with an attorney who has experience in traffic court. Follow the attorney’s advice. You have a civic duty and responsibility to fellow motorists. Lord alone knows how many lives you might save. On the other hand, you need to look at all of your motives. Sometimes we do the right thing for the wrong reasons. How much of your altruistic reasoning is based on feeling scorned by this former lover? In other words, do you prefer to be the pot, or the kettle?
Grandpa,
In the Book of Genesis, the KJV tells us that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. Other translations say that she was turned into a statue of salt. There is a difference between a pillar and a statue. Being in prison, I don’t have access to a Concordance. Which translation is most correct?
Grandpa says: The Hebrew word netsiyb, also spelled netsib and pronounced nets-eeb actually means ‘stationary’. That can be a military post, a garrison, or a statue or pillar. It is the same word used in 1 Samuel to describe the garrison of the Philistines and when discussing who it was that Jonathon smote. Either translation, pillar or statue, is correct.