Member-only story
I Verbally Abused Someone Today
and I’m ready to change my ways
She was probably trying her best. She’d been off her game for a while — two vaccines with side effects, kid coming home from college, big life challenges, home repairs, car repairs, new puppy with all the hell and paradise, new marketing program, and ongoing novel edits.
Cleaning wasn’t really her thing, either. I mean, she was good at it, had done it for a living before. But still, did she have to drip on the floor? And what was up with missing the trashcan? And those glass sliders might be cleaner, but they were NOT perfect.
And I know she’s working for free with no help. No one has her back, not really. And she was in a terrible relationship for a very long time.
And she left a strict religious sect with lots of rules and hang-ups.
And she hasn’t had sex for YEARS.
Still, I wasn’t asking for much. The chores needed to be done.
So I told her she was a Loser in no uncertain terms. I was angry, too. I knew it was wrong as soon as it left my mouth. But the damage was done.
I apologized as fast as I could. I reminded her of the context, how hard things have been. I gave her permission to clean what she could with the energy she had and to do it imperfectly.
