When I was a kid and I'd complain about something, my stepfather would say to me, "Life isn't always fair." The problem was, it was mostly not fair in my favor, but overly fair in his: He moved into my apartment and got a free place to live (my dad owned the apartment and was paying my mother alimony at the time). He made me do chores for the first time in my life (yes, I was spoiled) and yelled at me when I didn't do them well enough. And, later, he'd make me exercise at 5am and belittle my efforts. (We rode our bikes around our block, and he'd mock my slowness, until we found out I was riding around with the brake perpetually on. Once that was fixed, though, I rode circles around him.)

But, sometimes, life can make a reversal and actually be fair in your favor. Or at least unfair in an adversary's favor. Or unfavor. You know what I mean.

My mother finally saw the light and left this guy about a year and a half ago. He had been out of work for about 8 years, mooching off my mother's meagre income working in a furniture showroom (alimony ran out when I turned 18). He sunk what money he had had to borrow from his family into lame get-rich-quick schemes and Amway. He had health issues from being obese, sneaking junk food even though he was supposed to be on a diet - in fact, sneaking Wendy's when he was supposedly a vegetarian.

Now, he lives in Florida in an apartment his nephew grudgingly bought for him, driving a car under his mother's name. He has no job, no assets, no spouse, and no respect from anyone. He takes care of his mother, who has little patience for him.

Recently, my mother finally filed her 2003 taxes, after threatening to sue him to get his part of the paperwork. She got a refund of $300, and when she sent the claim to him for his signature, he sent back a note asking for half of it since they were still married at that time.

He's now reduced to begging for $150 from the woman he owes over $30,000 in medical bills and support.

Sometimes life makes me smile.