Greetings from a small town in rural North Carolina.
Today, started with a conversation in the dark, ” Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
Uh, oh.
“Ummm. No. Unless you want me to say that I think you are being unreasonable, and I know full well that this has nothing to do with my daughter. Its about our nice little life coming face to face with my previous life and all of the not so perfect things it says about me.”
Known as a slam return-it usually puts one on the ceiling, but it got the point across. Especially when it is followed by this, ” You do not have to like her, you do not have to be her friend, you are not her mother-but you don’t want me in a place where I have to be making choices about her or you. That’s a losing proposition, for you and me. All you have to do is be polite-be helpful and then go home. And I’ll never ask you to accompany me again.”
Which surprisingly, after some stammering on her part-finally sunk in. Back to sleep for a while and then the rest of the day went pretty well all things considered. Especially when you consider that we all spent 5 hours in a car together on the way down here.
One thing we all got to do though, was ask questions about my father’s history here. He showed us both the apartment he lived in with his folks and the house they later moved to. We got to see where the store was that he worked Saturdays in, during the summer-while at the same time he was working on a line crew during the week stringing power lines from Cheoa power station to the city.
And the fact that my father had a 1940 Harley Davidson-which he rode back to NC State. And pegged the speedometer one time at a 100 miles per hour.
Things I never knew before.
Pictures to follow. Just shows that everyone’s life is full of unique experiences and my father has a great deal to share with us.
No post tomorrow.
Skippy,
When I read your accounts of your ex, the SO, your chilren and the various interactions I marvel and am amazed at how similar our stories are. You Ex and the mother of my children could be twins- evil ones to be sure.
At family accassions when all are in attendance my SO is the pleasantm concerned and genrally underappreciated if not ingored by the otherfamily members: do not want to risk the ire of the mother of my children.
My kids have never really warmed up to my wife even though they will admit she treats them better than their mother.
There have been hard times for Di and I over these issues. To her credit she is always pleasant to all regardless. And she has neve asked me to chose.
Please let the SO know she has plenty of company.
Will be thinking of you and her.
Will be in North Myrtle Beach this weekend. If in neighborhood holler.
We are going to come to Charleston once the school year begins at the Fortress of Learning. I’ll give you a shout and maybe we can do lunch together.