When NOT to say, "You can't talk to me like that. I am a very rich man!"

[DFW]

My younger daughter's SO had to leave for Nice for work today. Three of his top clients "requested" his presence at a big car race in Monaco. Some real work had to be done, but much required time would be at dinners, the race track and a parties on few billionaires' yachts (one from Germany, one from Israel, and one from Scotland). These are circles far removed from us mortals, but he does a fair amount of legal work for these people, so when they invite him, he goes.

When checking in to his hotel, there was some dispute with another guest checking in. The guy thought he would gain some better treatment and some respect by throwing his financial weight around. My daughter's SO recognized the guy, who has a net worth of maybe €20 million. Apparently he did not like what he heard when checking in, sine he shouted loudly enough for the whole lobby to hear, "You can't talk to me like that! I am a very rich man!"

Oops. Wrong crowd and wrong hotel to try THAT line on. Except for my daughter's boyfriend and (maybe) the bellman, the guy was the poorest guy in the lobby by far, and, with the billionaires rolling their eyes, apparently did not get the respect he thought he deserved.

Awww, poor guy...

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Reminds of when rump tries to pretend that he's really rich, when more than likely, he's close...

to bankruptcy again...when someone's done the bankruptcy thing as many times as he's done, obviously they still have bad decision making still going on and still never learn anything.

[DFW]

2. Some people always seem to think money is at the root of all respect

They never get it that while money can buy envy, it cannot buy respect.

Rich guys walk around in Gucci shoes. REALLY rich guys walk around in sneakers.

[Croney]

3. I once worked for a famous college professor.

He was a Nobel recipient. People called him "Dr." and people called him "Professor." His preferred title, by far, was "Mr." When I liked students a lot, I slipped them that little piece of information.

[DFW]

5. I have a friend like that

He's a Nobel Prize winner in physics. He just prefers you call him "Bill."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. A shirttail relative of mine (unfortunately, not a close enough relative for me to inherit anything)

used to dress like a slob most of the time, although he founded and owned a company whose name you'd probably recognize (since bought out by an even bigger one), and he had plenty of money. One day during the Depression while he was walking through town looking like he always looked, someone took pity on him and offered him a job washing windows. He politely declined without telling them who he was. I believe a friend was with him, which is how the story got back to the family.

Rich guys decorate their NY apartments to look like Louis XIV's bordello. Really rich guys have a lot of books, a comfortable couch and a threadbare oriental rug on the floor.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Absolutely. A true sign of someone handling their wealth in a respectful manner, not flaunting...

it. A true sign of humanity and humbleness. Too bad we got too many spoiled brats out there ruining it for everyone else. Take care.