I just need to vent a bit and what better place

I work with one other guy as a Systems Engineer tech guy. I have to say, this guy is rubbish. This morning he calls me up to say he can't come in to work because he's too tired - he had a rough night with his son (3yrs old). Well thats all well and good, but I was up till 3am drinking with friends I haven't seen for years...so I have a whopping hangover, I've had 3 hours sleep, and yet I still managed to get to work ten minutes early!!

So I have to say I don't have much sympathy for the guy. Perhaps I would have if this wasn't a regular occurence. If it's not because he is tired, it is because his partner is sick and he has to look after her. Or because his son is sick and there is noone else to look after him - forget the fact that his parents live next door to him and look after his son every other day of the year. Then there are the regular sick days he himself takes - so much so that he used up his entire sick leave in the 6 months he has been working here!!! I think that family has been sick so often they may as well donate themselves to medical research because clearly they are having issues normal people don't have!

But what about the days when he does come to work you ask? He's late, or he majorly cocks up on projects, he is so annoying I just try to zone him out and get on with my work - which is bad considering we share a smallish office.

When I was employing a person to help me out I was wanting someone with a bit of a work ethic, someone who wanted to learn and throw ideas around, etc. All this guy cares about is getting what's coming to him. I often do after hours work etc, and for a year i never claimed any overtime because the company is good to me and I have a lot of freedom here. As soon as this guy joined his entire presence has been about making money. It's so frustrating!

Anyone else on Geekzone with this dilemma? How does one handle a completely rubbish colleague? Luckily he is cocking up enough for it to be noticed by the powers that be so he is on thin ice, but until something happens i'm stuck with him...WHAT DO I DO???

Sorry to babble! It's just plain annoying yanno?!