Way back when, Momoko saw that Kit Kat was headed to college. However Kit Kat did not have a job. She was planning to go to a community college. Momoko decided in her mind to help Kit Kat out. So she volunteered to pay for Kit Kat's college books. In her mind, she planned to pay for the first semester's book bill. That should have cost around $500. But she told Kit Kat that she would pay for college books.
This problem surfaced as Kit Kat went to purchase her books for her second semester at college. The misunderstanding was uncovered. Momoko in the end decided to buy just one more semester worth of books for Kit Kat. I always encourage documentation of such agreements with a contract. That is the way to avoid confusion on both sides of the deal.
Just recently, Momoko decided to finally document the end of her paying for Kit Kat's books. She wanted to draw up a contract. Unfortunately, at family meeting night last night, she identified Kit Kat as part of the original problem. At the heart of the matter is what does, "I will pay for college books mean". It was pretty clear to Kit Kat and myself what that does not mean. That does not mean paying for just one semester's worth of books.
It took us an hour to explain to Momoko that trying to declare Kit Kat partially to blame for the problem is the wrong plan. Esepcially when trying to argue that "paying for college books" means "paying for a single semester of college books". That is just not what that sentence means in the English language.
Little Kat's only input on the matter was to cap any such heated debates to 30 minutes total during family meeting night. The moral of the story is to always document agreements like this with a contract. It does not have to be an elaborate contract. Just a written understanding with the specific details of the understanding. It can save you from a mountain of trouble later.
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