I am the type of woman whose throat physically hurts if there is something I wish to say, but don’t. When I am not just merely miffed but genuinely angry, I pace, fragile things spontaneously break with the slightest graze of my fingertips, and the top of my head tingles as my hair literally stands on end. I become an impossible, immovable force and when I have finally had enough, you will know it. I ought to wear a sign across my chest that says, Do Not Reach Inside the Animal’s Cage, or Don’t Fuck With the Mama Tiger.
Cut to early this weekend. Telephone. Living room. Mother-in-law. Pregnant woman who had not yet eaten breakfast. You see where this is going… I shall not re-enact the torrent of fury unleashed that morning, but I think its quake may have postponed the Big One in Los Angeles for at least another few years.
Confused, silenced and stunned, I do believe my mother-in-law is now beginning to understand how serious this Mama Tiger really is. So a bit of advice to all the accomodating and polite ones out there, sweetly operating under the pretense that whatever must be said can be communicated kindly:
“Kind” only works if the party you are dealing with is SANE. Don’t squeeze another compromised moment’s worth of sweetness from your body. Pounce. Hard. Show your fangs and watch the unheard points you’d been offering with honey for a year suddenly received in an instant.
And sleep like a baby.
6 responses so far ↓
whynotbisquit // May 27, 2008 at 11:25 am |
Nudged best friend towards your blog as hen night present this weekend…so glad you are keeping up the job!
Her mother in law to be wants her to spend the day after wedding cleaning the venue to cut costs – of course non of her friends will stand for it and have decided to pitch in with a broom-fund, but seriously, in the first place, she need to tell her where to get of!
Agnes / http://www.cookbystelth.wordpress.com
bewilderedhousewife // May 27, 2008 at 8:20 pm |
OY. Sounds like a piece of work. Please tell your friend to practice the following sentence, loudly and often:
I’m sorry, that just won’t be possible.
I’m sorry, that just won’t be possible.
I’m sorry, that just won’t be possible.
Here’s to hoping she masters these words early on, or it’s going to be a looooooong marriage in more ways than one.
Thanks for the link, WNB!
John R. Rifkin, Ph.D. // May 28, 2008 at 6:30 pm |
You might like to take a look at my book, “The Healing Power of Anger: The Unexpected Path to Love and Fulfillment.”
Best wishes,
John
Tammi // May 28, 2008 at 10:14 pm |
No no no no no. There must be details.
Was there CBF to be seen? Spill it, Please?
mom zombie // May 30, 2008 at 1:28 pm |
Wow. Just found your blog and I love it. If only I’d had the sense to follow my instincts with the ex- mother-in-law, who sounds a lot like yours. Obviously she is no longer my MIL but my blood pressure still spikes when I see her around.
Mildred Pierce // June 2, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
Ha! I love it! Sometimes you just have to lay it on the line!
Preach it, hon…