Friday, September 03, 2004

Complainers

I went with my Complaining 16 year old to town this morning to find out about this new project she'll be going to this year, in addition to the school that doesn't want her. It will focus on her getting her Bagrut (which is similar to SAT's) because she hadn't done any of the 5 she had to do in 10th grade. I should be doing the complaining. On the way, I pointed out an attractive woman with red hair. "Don't you just love her hair color?" I asked. "She takes care of herself, not like YOU. Look at yourself" she retorted. I think I look pretty decent for pushing 50, but she thinks I look like the Bride of Frankenstein. During the interview the head of the project said to me "you'll have to be a very supportive mother throughout this year, if you want your daughter to succeed. Alot depends on you." I'm pretty good in the supporting department. As we walked downstairs the Complainer complained - "I laughed when she said 'be a mother to me. You're not a mother. You don't do anything for me. I have to work. What other 16 year old has to work. None of my friends have to work. My friend has a mother who is a cleaner in the school and her house is beautiful. She is always cleaning. The house is spotless. I have a terrible room. You don't do nothing for me. I need sheets. You're gonna buy me sheets...." and this went on and on until my head spinned. I let her talk it out. After doing some shopping and dumping her in Hubby's car, I went to see a friend who had been in the US the whole summer. Finally, a refuge! She had these 2 kids in her house, fresh from Toronto. Daughters of friends. I was giggling with my girlfriend over photos from her trip. She went to the Hippie Rainbow gathering, drove around Seattle and Oregon and took ass-kicking digital photographs of everything, stoned and straight. The younger girl - about 10 - looks at us and tells us "You're both weird." Why are we weird? "Well, you're inappropriate" she tells my friend, whom I think is a superb mother. And she points a finger at me "and YOU!" She just shook her head. There are no words to describe me. It used to be you can't trust anyone over 30 in the 1960. I'm finding I can't trust anyone under 18. They're simply awful. Back home, the tone of the Complainer got louder and louder and she started throwing things out of the room. The reason. Hubby did me a favor and put up the 2 crystals we bought to bring good energy into our home. One in our bedroom and the other in the livingroom. "You live in a Russian home" she shouted. "Why does everything have to be disgusting? Why do I have to have the washing machine in my room (because she has a giant room)?" We hear noise upstairs as she attempts to throw the portable radiator heater out of her room to beautify her room. "You'll see" she warned. "I'm throwing the washer out next."

3 comments:

timx said...

Like the links!

Unknown said...

I don't know where these bloody links are coming from. It's so damn annoying. I hope I don't have a virus, but so far the computer is still running. I love that joke about some species eating their young. So true, so true.

Anonymous said...

That many daughters with that much PMS would drive anyone crazy! It takes time for them to become more reasonable towards mom...and some never do, but with that many, surely you have hopes of at least one being so when grownup and with children of her own! I told my younger daughter if she put me through what her sister has, I would not live through it! Is it a wonder I have high blood pressure? My difficult one has come around a lot...having now gone through one marriage and divorce, makes me look a little less problemic I think. Hang in there, mom!
Elizabeth