The SAME THING???

When we were first dating, I went to the grocery store with you and then back to your house to put groceries away. I had driven over after work, so my car was right there ready to take me home.  

While we were bringing in bags of groceries, I said something (I don't even remember exactly what it was) about myself, probably making a comment about being a "dumb blonde" or something.  You told me not to say things like that about myself AS you elbowed me HARD in the back! 

It really hurt and I started to cry. You didn't apologize, and kept on putting things away in the pantry while I went into the bathroom to look at my back in the mirror. There was a big red splotch and I could tell it was going to bruise (it did, and the bruise was nasty looking as well as being very sore for several days). 

I walked back out to the kitchen, where you were putting things into the fridge. By then, I was just sniffling a little, but I had dried my eyes.  You looked flatly at me as I came out and I asked if you had done that on purpose. You told me that I hurting myself by saying things like that, so you should be able to hurt me in the way you did. You said IT WAS THE SAME THING!  

 I got really upset  and knew I was going to cry AGAIN, but I also knew that you HATED it when I cried, so I just picked up my purse and walked out the door, got into my car and drove home.  I told myself that I was never going out with you again...but you know what? The next day, you called and you were sooooo sweet and told me about getting tickets for some band we liked and that we were going that weekend.  Did I tell you no, and hang up? NO!   I told MYSELF that it was your way of apologizing and everything would be ok.

West Winds....

I remember the VERY early winter morning when I got up to work at 6am and went outside to the car to find it would not start.  My job was only five minutes from home at that time and the winter weather had blown in that night with below zero wind chills. Since the four-car garage was filled to bursting with your projects and that tractor you decided to "restore", our cars could not fit into the space. I had parked the car I used up by the house so that it would be easy for me to run out and start it up to warm while I got ready for work.

When the car would NOT start, I woke you and told you about it. Getting up, you went out and tried it for yourself. Being groggy with sleep, you were very quiet and I stayed out of the way, but at hand in case you needed me to hand you a tool or something.  You asked for the hair dryer and I ran in to get it, looking at the clock and thinking that I was going to be VERY late if this didn't work.  I wasn't going to say anything to you because I KNEW it would not be a good idea.

After using the hair dryer all you dared, the car still wouldn't start and I told you I was going to call my boss to let her know I wouldn't be in until you could drop me off on YOUR way to work. That would be hours later, but there was no way around it, unless you could take me in and then go back home to sleep.

You belligerently began to tell me it was MY fault the car was "frozen" up!  You said that EVERYONE knows that you do not park a car with the nose facing west winds in the winter!  I was struck dumb by your righteous anger!  There were SO many times that both of us had parked that very same car in that very same spot the very same way...in WINTER!

I grew up with a mechanic for a Dad, as you know.....he never mentioned ANYTHING about "west winds" in winter, summer or any other time!  I had never heard of that and YOU certainly never told me such a thing! Since you've told me many other true, untrue and weird things, I found it astounding that west winds in winter never came up until this!

I didn't say anything to you about it at that time, because I knew it wouldn't do any good and would just make you start yelling, since you are ALWAYS right.  I called my boss and luckily, she was on her way to work and would swing by and pick me up.  I was never so glad to get away from you and your Hyde attitude and go to work! I was also never so glad that you were at work when I arrived home via a ride from a co-worker.

When you did come home, I asked you how much you remembered....thinking (hoping) that you had been just too sleepy and disoriented to have really known what you said to me.  You started in on that "west wind in winter" thing again, so I went to bed with a good book and ignored your pouting and anger.  This particular Hyde-event lasted a little over one week, until you forgot about it.