TAIPEI: A fortune-teller who foresaw his son would abandon him tried to avoid the fate of destitution by forcing his son to sign a pledge promising to continue to support him.
But the son failed to honour the pledge, and now Ho Jung-hua, 68, the father, is suing his son, The China Times reported yesterday.
Ho predicted 10 years ago that his four children would abandon him when he grew old, so he made his eldest son pledge to give him 7000 Taiwan dollars (RM760) each month when he grew old.
But now that the father is old, nearly blind and suffers from diabetes, the son, Kuo-ching, is not giving him money.
During court hearing, Kuo-ching said he broke his word because his father used to beat his mother, forcing her to ask for divorce.
“That’s why he is living alone. My mother lives with me and my family. My mother would not allow me to take in my father,” Kuo-ching said. “I cannot give my father money because I am doing odd jobs and have difficulty supporting my own family and mother.”
Ho said he had worked hard to support his family, telling fortunes for more than 100 people every day.
“Ten years ago, I predicted that my children would abondon me when I grew old. So I made Kuo-ching sign a paper, saying he would give me 7,000 Taiwan dollars per month until I died,” the father said.
“But despite my fortune-telling ability, I could not foresee my son would break his word,” Ho was quoted saying. – dpa
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