Years ago, I was a soldier stationed in Alaska. My new wife stayed in Texas to complete her ten year academic saga in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. That’s correct. It took her ten years to complete a 4 year college degree. She wasn’t struggling with a couple of classes a semester while she worked to support herself. She had scholarships. She was a full time student for most of ten years. She would fail out of one class in her academic program and then completely change majors. She went from nursing, to hospital administration, to something else, and then to respiratory therapy. She failed yet again another class in the last degree plan.
She called to tell me this and that she was going to change her major to child development. AKA, working daycare. Oh yeah, she was going to move to Alaska to be with me. I could smell diminishing goals over the phone line. I told her that that’s not possible. I will not support her and she might as well finish school. Her mother had (just retired a few years ago) worked in day care and pre-kindergarten for decades. I told her that she shouldn’t do this. Working daycare all day then the idea of coming home to kids, if she wants to have them in future, may not be a good idea. I had to verbally boot her in the ass to finish. She did. To this day she has never acknowledged that if I hadn’t given her the drill sergeant routine she wouldn’t be where she is now.
The Christmas ’97, I came ‘home’ on leave and boy did she have plans. They involved blitzkrieging all over central Texas to see every f~~~ing relative, in-law, college chum, and acquaintance that she knows. I had programmed about two weeks for vacation. I didn’t spend a single day on vacation not being entrapped in her Honda while driving to another city. This included Christmas day. I finally put my foot down about December 30th and gave her a new rule. I am not legally, socially, or morally obligated to attend a social function unless I have had at least two weeks’ notice. Also, that even with this rule in place, I’m still not obligated to attend a function if I don’t want to. This bought me a day or two.
On January 3rd, I was packed and ready to catch a late morning flight back to Alaska. She asked me if I had a good time. I told her I would have rather have participated in training exercises in 60 below weather. I would have at least have had a good story to tell. Now she had the unmitigated gall to act shocked and surprised, but said nothing.
When I was getting out of the car at the airport drop-off she asked me what I wanted during my vacation. I replied “I don’t know. You might have started with f~~~ing your husband. You didn’t last time I came home and I haven’t had any for nine months now.”
I just though I would share this particular episode, and will share others on the basis of when ever I get around to it. From experience comes wisdom. Try to grow wise on the travails and tribulation of others so that you don’t have lighten your wallet to become the sage on the mountain top.
I landed in Alaska and started doing a 5 foot f~~~ puppet that liked being man handled by a 210 pound weight lifter. I should have sent her divorce papers from Fairbanks.
"I asked you a question. I didn't ask you to repeat what the voices in you head are telling you" ~ Me. ........Yes I'm still angry.
Member 4 years, 5 months ago.
