Pyramid

I'm watching the 20/20 story of Bernie Madoff's daughter in law.  The wife of Bernie's late son, who took his own life after the scandal became too much for him to take.

One of the jobs that I do now to make some extra money is waitressing private parties.  I go to peoples homes that are having big parties and/or small gatherings and want to be able to enjoy their party, or want to impress their guests, or just want a little extra help.  It pays ok.  The important thing is that it's cash.  Off the books, so it won't affect my medicaid.  I know, SOO scandalous.   My apologies to the tax payers of the USA, but my children's health care is more important to me than your politics. Sorry.

Back to Madoff.  I worked a fundraising luncheon at a HUGE apartment on the upper east side in Manhattan a few months back.  The hosts were a lovely couple.  They obviously had a ton of money, but they were so grounded and friendly with me, and seemed almost apologetic about asking me to do things.  I liked them a lot.

It turned out that the fund raising meeting being held at the apartment was to try to convince one very wealthy man (the guest of honor), to invest in their cause.  The cause is a hospital being built in Israel.  It is a non denominational hospital.  I don't remember the specialties that the hospital is going to treat.  What I DO remember is the fact that the whole point of the hospital is that it is for ANYONE who needs their help over there.  Whether they are Jewish, or Muslim, or Islamic.. All are welcome.  That's huge for Israel.  It doesn't really exist over there.  They are so separate, and so many parts of their day to day life is separate and divided.  But the whole point of this hospital is humanity.

They had actually raised all the money they needed for the project years ago.  Until the Madoff scandal happened.  All the money that was raised for the hospital was invested in Bernie's hedge fund.  And now, it was all gone.

Crazy.  I felt like I should have had to have some security clearance to hear the things I was over hearing.

After all was said and done, it seemed (at least to me) that the man with all the money liked the idea and would more than likely donate to the cause.  

It blew me away that Bernie has had such a huge impact on people, the sick, on the other side of the globe.  Such a beautiful, human, peaceful cause.  And he seems to continue to enjoy his fame- per 20/20 anyway.  Sociopaths suck.