ing month. Jake promised to do his homework, but a phone call from the school confirmed that he had not turned in a single homework assignment during the entire semester. After a mild scolding, the lad made a half-hearted attempt to finish his assignments. He complained that the work was too hard, and that he didn't understand the material.Grateful for the meager crumbs that Jake offered, Granny began to help him with his homework, often doing most of it herself. Soon the time came for the camping trip. Wearing a halo and a pasted-on smile, Jake asked in his most angelic voice whether he could go. Granny consented. She was afraid that the boy would revert back to zero homework performance if she disallowed this outing.At twelve, Jake had completed the last three years of his schooling by attending summer school. Every morning, Granny begged him to get up for school, but Jake lingered until he missed the school bus. Granny then dutifully drove him to school so that he would not be late. Of course, the cafeteria food was not good enough for him, so Jake was handed a ten dollar bill each morning to purchase two hoagies and a large soft drink at the local convenience store.By the time Jake turned fourteen, he was roaming the streets with hisfriends every night past curfew. Demanding to wear the latest and most expensive fashion, he got what he wanted. Jake was denied nothing by his grandmother. Smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, and mouthing off to Granny in the most foul language had become a way of life for Jake.Finally acknowledging that Jake was well on his way to becoming ajuvenile delinquent, Betsy decided to take him to a psychologist. Despite paying thousands of dollars towards the cause, she could discern no positive changes. The psychologist diagnosed "Attention Deficit Disorder", which now gave Jake a handy excuse for his inappropriate behavior.Soon, Betsy was on the phone with her oldest son, Dennis. She complained that Jake wou...
