It's raining buckets in Frog Pond Holler. The big
I stopped by the Pump N' Go after work on Friday. I needed enough gas to get to civilization. I had gone online and bought a portable ac unit so I could get the Ebates discount then selected store pick up, so I wouldn't have to wait, but if I'd filled up in town with gas at $4.12 a gallon, well, my scrimping would have been pointless.
So anywho.. I needed some gas so I stopped in town. I talked to Kay for minute while I was there, her son now owns the gas station that she and her hubby ran for umpteen gazillion years. Her husband had recently died and I'd not had a chance to talk to her since. I filled her in on Ma, with limited details, even though I'm sure Aunt Moses has already given her the lowdown. While we talked, Bubbles' Bubbahubby walked up to the register. He was the paramedic that showed up when Ma fell the last time, but today he was working over in Kay's son's garage. The boy has like three jobs. I still say he does it to avoid being home with Bubbles.
In an effort to be a better person, reach a spiritual place, ya know.. the never ending quest for self improvement, I made a conscious effort to pull him into the conversation, mentioning that he'd been the one to start the ball rolling, resulting in Ma getting the help she needed. Until now, he's only spoken to me in a professional capacity, still blaming me for his wife getting laid off at the Cubicle Asylum.
Because it totally couldn't have had anything to do with her lying, backstabbing and discussing her crotch rot with the customers. It was obviously my fault. We all know I have that kind of pull.
*cough*
So yeah, I was trying to bury the hatchet.
"Oh, did the nurse come by?" he asked.
"Yes, and they got DSS involved and she's finally getting some help," I answered. I told him what hospital she was at, then said to both him and Kay, "she looks really good and seems to be feeling better. She seems almost normal!"
To which Uncle Fester announced loudly, to a gas station now full of people, "I can't believe you'd say that, ain't that something. Talking like that about your own mother. That's terrible," then shook his head in disgust and high tailed it out of there like the (rhymes with Pig Wussy) that he is.
I was horrified. Embarrassed. I meant she seemed like her old self. He knew that.
What pisses me off is, I can't shake that nasty feeling it's caused in the pit of my stomach. I thought about going to Kay the next time she was working and explaining to her what I meant, but ya know what? I shouldn't have to. And I know Fester went STRAIGHT home to Bubbles and told her how proud he was to embarrass me like that. Because Fester has the biggest mouth in the holler. Also, did I mention that last I heard, Bubbles was working at DSS?
So tell me, from a spiritual standpoint, what am I supposed to do? Do I go back to avoiding people that make me uncomfortable or do I suck it up, continue to try to be the better person and take more anti anxiety meds? Do I pray for Fester to grow a heart? To see the light? To get run over by a busload of stinky hikers?
For today, I vote for staying holed up in the caravan, making jewelry and pushing magic nail potions on the internet. I don't even want to run to town for peanut butter.
Rice cakes suck without peanut butter.
Ya'll have a killer week. I'm flying solo, with Bossholio out of town. And I plan to rock it. As long as I don't have to stop for gas.
Later Taters!!
Tweet Pin It
7 comments:
I'm sure everyone in town knows how addled your Ma could be at times - it's too small a place to NOT know. He was just being small and mean, neither of which is your fault. Hold your head high. you're doing right by someone who is difficult (and perhaps more that ONE someone).
A nice quick rejoinder would have been - 'now, you know what I'm talking about, I'm happy she's more like her old self now, is what I meant.'
But of course we never think about those things at the time.
However it came about, she's getting help. He was there to see how bad she'd gotten, but his holier than thou attitude, which is the same as Bubbles, told him to blurt that out rather than admit to the truth. If everyone knew all the details they would understand what you meant, but you shouldn't have to go around giving all the details to everyone in town. You worry about you and TA, everyone else can suck it
Just tell Kay. One way or the other, it'll work out right. If for no other reason than to just be heard. Not a long convo just a, "Hey, you know I just meant that Ma is more like her old self, right?"She might not have even noticed.
You can never lose taking the high road. Small minded mean people (and I know many of them) are only happy when they are making others feel bad. It's not you it's them (him especially) Try to ignore and live your life in a way that works for you. They are not your judge...and you owe no one explainations. I am sure Kay knows what you meant and probably thinks he is just a big ass.
Good for you being the better person, especially to someone we hope is kidnapped by aliens from outer space. Hee, hee.
That was Very Christian of him. What an a$$. It's funny how sometimes when a person takes the high road, they still get smacked down... but don't beat yourself up Mahala. He's the one who looks bad, not you.
Is it sad that the message I took from this is that Uncle Fester doesn't get the credit he deserves? Don't get me wrong, that whole "Being a better person" thing was cool.
Post a Comment