I was rude to someone at a party the other day. . .those in attendance know to whom. I tried very hard to prevent my outburst, but it had built up over the course of the day.
"I can't get this stain out of H's pants," she says.
"Have you tried oxyclean?" another suggests.
"Didn't work," she says matter of factly.
"Then try Lestoil. If one doesn't work, the other will," says the other in response.
"That didn't work either," she says again. "I think it's some kind of a grease stain," she continues.
"Then you didn't try Lestoil," says the other, "because that'll get out any stain that's oil based."
The subject dropped rather quickly, but she continued with her I-know-everything one-upsmanship throughout the day. Finally, a remark was made about taking care of children and being tired.
"Try having a job and then coming home to take care of the children, then you'll know what tired is," she sys.
I'd had it by then. The look on the faces of those around me echoed my feelings. Could she really believe what she'd just said?
"You mean the job where she takes care of three babies simultaneously everyday?" I piped up, loud enough for all to hear.
She snorted contempt and said something derisive that I can't remember.
"Unless you've tried it," I said, "I don't think you can compare the two," I finished, referring to her comparison of her two-day-a-week job (while her daughter is in preschool) with caring for three babies. She snorted again and was surly the rest of the evening, which was only another half hour or so.
It's not like me to do that, to be rude to someone at a social event. But she makes her life out to be so hard, when it's no more or less hard than anyone else's in the family. I'm not going to belittle her stresses and hardships, I know they're there. But she insists on making a show of her hardships without accepting that anyone else can understand.
So, I should apologize for it, but I won't. I'll apologize to the hostess, who is related by marriage to the offended party, but I think I was justified in my upset, if not my response.
3 comments:
Beckie,
Not only does the hostess forgive you for your "rude" outburst, she applauds you for saying what everyone else who heard her wanted to say! We were discussing pictures that I had posted on my blog and she said she doesn't have time to look at it. I replied that if I had time to post, she could certainly find a few moments to look at it. That's where her comments about me not having a job outside the home came in.
Funny that you found the incident worthy of posting about. I've been seething about it since it happened and was barely able to be civil with her for the rest of the event. This came from a woman who lives with her mother and step-father, has only recently started working a part time job "merchandising" (stocking shelves in local stores . . . putting down those little footprint things you see on your grocery store floor etc) during the hours that her 4 year old is in preschool 2 days a week. She has few if any bills and those that are important are paid by her childs father or, I can only assume, by her mother. She seems to have no plans to even try to live on her own and she presumes to have an incling of what my life is like.
Sorry to rant about her, but she's really been on my nerves. And since she doesn't have the time to veiw my blog, I doubt if she would bother to follow any of my links and find this. Part of me hopes she does, though. Maybe that's what the two of us need.
Thank you again. And I'm sorry she made the party a little less comfortable.
Wow. I haven't been up there in ages, and I still know who you two are talking about. Love to you all, and not everyone deserves an apology. It is she who ought to be apologizing! So take a deep breath, and don't let her ruin another minute of your day. She isn't worthy.
Way to go Jennie. And Beckie, you were justified. I just wanted to smack her.
Her childish behavior is upsetting. And to think she is responsible for a child!
Love you
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